Can you afford to pay 20 weeks’ of full maternity pay?
Detail:
In a further sign of what many refer to as “EU meddling” and “EU madness” – depending on where you sit on EU involvement – a European Parliament committee has voted on draft legislation to extend fully-paid maternity leave to 20 weeks.
Current UK legislation gives pregnant women a year off, with six weeks paid at 90 per cent of the mother’s average pay, followed by 33 weeks’ on Statutory Maternity Pay of £123 a week. The rest is unpaid.
Needless to say, business groups have urged Labour ministers to veto the plans before it is too late. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) director of policy Adam Marshall said: “Companies need to be given the space to deliver growth and jobs, without being hamstrung by new and costly maternity rules. As the Directive moves forward, we urge the European Parliament as a whole and the Council to overturn these costly amendments.”
Lord Young, the Government’s Employment Relations Minister, warned that such a rise could upset the “delicate balance” struck by the current national system. Talk about an understatement. It does not take an Einstein to realise that if this becomes law, it will have serious repercussions for small businesses, including independent pet retailers across the UK. All at a time of squeezed profit margins, increasing costs and rising challenges from supermarkets and the on-line retailers.
Apart from a massive fiscal burden (it’s been estimated that the move could lead to a bill of £2 billion), let’s be honest, this will definitely impact hiring practices, legal or not.
As it stands, this draft legislation will have to be debated by the full parliament next month and faces stiff opposition from member states. To stop it from becoming law, it has to be overturned either by the full European Parliament or by EU government ministers.
Let’s hope sense, forethought and wisdom prevail at the EU.
Hang on, did I just use the words “wisdom” and “forethought” in the same sentence as “EU”? Remember that ridiculous ban on unusually-shaped fruit and veg which was thankfully lifted in July last year? Well, Spanish MEPs voted to restore that ban – and have won the support of a majority on the European Parliament's agriculture committee. This, too, now has to go to the full parliament for a vote, although it is unlikely to be approved.
Honestly, talk about red tape and bureaucracy gone mad. Doesn’t the EU have more important matters to worry about?
Current UK legislation gives pregnant women a year off, with six weeks paid at 90 per cent of the mother’s average pay, followed by 33 weeks’ on Statutory Maternity Pay of £123 a week. The rest is unpaid.
Needless to say, business groups have urged Labour ministers to veto the plans before it is too late. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) director of policy Adam Marshall said: “Companies need to be given the space to deliver growth and jobs, without being hamstrung by new and costly maternity rules. As the Directive moves forward, we urge the European Parliament as a whole and the Council to overturn these costly amendments.”
Lord Young, the Government’s Employment Relations Minister, warned that such a rise could upset the “delicate balance” struck by the current national system. Talk about an understatement. It does not take an Einstein to realise that if this becomes law, it will have serious repercussions for small businesses, including independent pet retailers across the UK. All at a time of squeezed profit margins, increasing costs and rising challenges from supermarkets and the on-line retailers.
Apart from a massive fiscal burden (it’s been estimated that the move could lead to a bill of £2 billion), let’s be honest, this will definitely impact hiring practices, legal or not.
As it stands, this draft legislation will have to be debated by the full parliament next month and faces stiff opposition from member states. To stop it from becoming law, it has to be overturned either by the full European Parliament or by EU government ministers.
Let’s hope sense, forethought and wisdom prevail at the EU.
Hang on, did I just use the words “wisdom” and “forethought” in the same sentence as “EU”? Remember that ridiculous ban on unusually-shaped fruit and veg which was thankfully lifted in July last year? Well, Spanish MEPs voted to restore that ban – and have won the support of a majority on the European Parliament's agriculture committee. This, too, now has to go to the full parliament for a vote, although it is unlikely to be approved.
Honestly, talk about red tape and bureaucracy gone mad. Doesn’t the EU have more important matters to worry about?
By:
Sandra
Date/time :
25/02/2010
Replies to this topic...
By:
newshound
Date/time :
31/03/2010 08:41:42
Detail:
NO
