Reforms will help parents choose who takes leave to look after newborn children

date: 12 November 2012

embargo: 00.01hrs Tuesday 13 November 2012

Responding to plans to support working parents announced today (Tuesday) by the Deputy Prime Minister, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'The reforms announced today will make it easier for parents to choose how they want to share their leave to look after newborn children. It's great that parents who want to adopt will be given more support too.

'Allowing all staff to ask to work flexibly is common sense to good employers. But we know that too many businesses are still reluctant to modernise working practices so the government is right to give them a nudge with this new universal right to request flexible working.

'These reforms will make life easier for millions of working parents. Businesses will also benefit from a more engaged workforce and a larger pool of people to recruit from.'

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