This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Petition Give all working fathers the right to Paternity Leave and Shared Parental Leave
Remove the eligibility criteria which states a father can only take time off to look after their child if they have been continuously employed by their current employer for at least 26 weeks up to any day in the qualifying week. The qualifying week is the 15th week before the baby is due.
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Fathers who change employer during the 41 weeks before their baby is due are not entitled to any Parental Leave to support their family. They are also ineligible to claim Shared Parental Leave or Statutory Paternity Pay.
These qualifying conditions are outdated and are an affront to equality. They restrict a mother's right to return to work after having a child and can dissuade fathers from taking a leading role in supporting their newborn child.
This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months