Time Off Work

The Children and Families Bill would provide new entitlements for employees relating to time off work for ante-natal care etc.

Provisions include, but are not limited to:

  • Clauses 97 and 98 create entitlements to unpaid time off work to attend ante-natal appointments for employees who have a qualifying relationship with a pregnant woman or her expected child, and to attend introductory meetings in the case of prospective adopters.

MPs are particularly interested in your comments on the practical implications of specific clauses of the Bill. Please make clear whether your comment relates to a specific clause.

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2 Responses to Time Off Work

Tatiana Wilson says:
February 25, 2013 at 08:34 AM
(2)
In relation to any particular pregnancy, an employee is not entitled to
30take time off for the purpose specified in subsection (1) on more than
two occasions.

I strongly disagree with limiting UNPAID entitlements to attend ante-natal care to two occasions. The fact that this is unpaid means that it is already a disincentivee for people to take up. If there are complications it is important that both parents have the right to attend medical appointments - it is ludicrous to limit this.
Joshua Anders says:
February 21, 2013 at 10:51 AM


Any ante-natal appointments should be a given for time off. 2 appointments are only ok when everything runs smoothly.

If Mr Cameron wants a better, more cohesive Britain then he needs to keep the Dads involved. Not keep them at arms length. I was extremely lucky to be self employed when we were expecting our three children, all 3 pregnancies were complicated, our 3rd to the point of having to have scans every week. How is the mother supposed to cope with all the stress on her own? Do you think the Dad should be involved at all stages? I do!! I think if you can get the dad involved at the early stages, help them to bond with the child and mother you will help to keep them together when things get tough. It will also help to encourage Dad to spend more time and be a bigger part of their child's life.

You have an opportunity here to treat the cause of the problem and not just the symptoms. Please don't waste it!!!

Related information

What is Public Reading?


Public Reading is an initiative to give members of the public the opportunity to provide their views on Bills before they are made into law. This is the first Public Reading to be run by the House of Commons and is a pilot of the process. Comments on the Bill will be made available to the Committee of MPs responsible for examining the Bill in detail so that they can take them into account when deciding whether to make changes to the Bill.

About the Children and Families Bill


The Children and Families Bill contains provisions to change the law in several areas relating to children and families.

Explanatory Notes


The Government publishes explanatory notes alongside a Bill to assist readers in understanding the proposed legislation

Additional Comments?


Comments on areas not covered by the listed Bill topics, or broader comments on the Bill as a whole (including anything that you think should have been included in the Bill but is not) should be posted as an additional comment. As this Public Reading is a pilot, we are also keen to hear your views on the public reading process itself.

Public Bill Committees


A Bill Committee is appointed for each Bill that goes through Parliament and is named after the Bill it considers. Public Bill Committees have the power to take written and oral evidence. The Committee examines the Bill line by line and reports its conclusions and any amendments to the Commons, where MPs debate the Bill further.

Pre-legislative Scrutiny


Some provisions in the Children and Families Bill were published in draft form last year so that MPs could scrutinise them and recommend changes to be made before the Bill itself was introduced to Parliament. Four different Committees from the House of Commons and the House of Lords examined draft clauses.