More time off for mums?

Tuesday 03 June 2014

New mums in Jersey could get an extra eight weeks off work with their babies if the States agree to introduce statutory maternity leave.

Deputy Geoff Southern is proposing a system similar to the UK’s and wants pregnant working women to be given the right to 26 weeks paid maternity leave instead of 18 and the first two weeks to be paid for by their employer.

The Deputy for St Helier No 2's proposition would see women returning to work after having a baby without any conditions imposed because of the length of time they have been in the job.

According to the Jersey Childcare Trust the Island has one of the highest rates of working women in the world but at the moment it’s up to the people they work for to decide when they are entitled to paid maternity leave and how much of their time off will be paid for. The UK and most European countries have statutory maternity leave but there has been more than a "pregnant pause" in introducing it in Jersey– the States started talking about it 14 years ago.

Deputy Southern also wants his colleagues to agree to an increase in the maternity allowance women receive from Social Security. He wants the period they can claim to be extended to 26 weeks which he’s worked out could cost the States up to an extra £2 million a year.

The UK government plans to introduce shared parental leave next year to encourage more dads to stay at home but as the amount they would get is well below the national minimum wage few will actually be able to afford to take the time off.