Deputy seeks answers over maternity leave law delay
A LACK of progress on introducing statutory maternity leave has led one deputy to ask Rule Six questions to find out why, three years after the States agreed to its introduction, women are still left at the mercy of employers.
Deputy Chris Green said the States agreed to the introduction of maternity leave in February 2012, but since then there had been no evidence of it becoming law.
Such a huge delay on an issue as important as this meant it could not be simply left by the wayside, he said, and it was a law which should be part of a modern, 21st-century society.
The Personal Tax, Pensions and Benefits Review was a chance to show how it would be implemented, Deputy Green added, but it only covered the funding and not a timeline for introduction.
'I have been aware for a while that not a great deal of progress has been made. When I read the PTPB review, I was left underwhelmed by parental benefits. As it stands, maternity leave is at the discretion of the individual employer and I do not think that is good enough.'
Deputy Green said he was looking to add an amendment to the benefits review – due to be debated in March – but before then if the answers to his questions, submitted to Chief Minister Jonathan Le Tocq, Social Security minister Allister Langlois, Treasury and Resources minister Gavin St Pier and Commerce and Employment minister Kevin Stewart reveal a lack of progress it was something he intended to pursue further to introduce the change.
