The Trades Union Congress said that draft flexible working time regulations are biased in favour of employers, especially regarding withdrawal of applications, actionable claims and extensions of time limits where a manager is absent.
Source: TUC Response to Department of Trade and Industry Consultation - Draft regulations on flexible working provisions, Trades Union Congress (020 7467 1294)
Links: Response | DTI consultation page
Date: 2002-Nov
Introducing his Pre-Budget Report, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the government will give 'increased flexibility in parental time off, including giving fathers time off to attend ante-natal care'.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 27.11.02, column 325, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 7.4
Date: 2002-Nov
A report found that employers are slow to adopt family-friendly and employee-friendly practices.
Source: Robert Taylor, Managing Workplace Change, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2002-Nov
Regulations were approved by Parliament introducing improved arrangements for maternity and parental leave (from 28 November 2002), paternity and adoption leave (from 8 December 2002), and paternity and adoption pay (from 8 December 2002).
Source: Maternity and Parental Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2002, Statutory Instrument 2789, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations 2002, Statutory Instrument 2788, TSO | Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay (Weekly Rates) Regulations 2002, Statutory Instrument 2818, TSO
Links: SI 2789 | SI 2788 | SI 2818
Date: 2002-Nov
Maternity allowance and statutory maternity pay will be up-rated in April 2003 by more than the retail prices index, from 75 to 100 per week.
Source: Press release 18.11.02, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: Press release | Table of benefit rates (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 1.6
Date: 2002-Nov
The results were published of consultation on draft regulations to implement the right (from April 2003, under the Employment Act 2002) to request flexible working and the duty on employers to 'consider requests seriously'.
Source: Work and Parents: Competitiveness and Choice - Summary of responses, Department of Trade and Industry (0870 150 2500)
Links: Responses (pdf) | Consultation document (pdf) | Text of Act
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 7.4
Date: 2002-Nov
Researchers examined the links between parents' employment and their children's subsequent educational attainment, using data for 1991-97 from the British Household Panel Survey. Full-time employment by the mother when the child was aged 0-5 was found to have a 'negative and significant' effect.
Source: John Ermisch and Marco Francesconi, The Effect of Parents' Employment on Children's Educational Attainment, Working Paper 2002-21 , Institute for Social and Economic Research/University of Essex (01206 873087)
Links: Working Paper (pdf) | Abstract
Date: 2002-Oct
A report said that working fathers are missing out on time with their children because they believe that bosses discriminate against men with childcare responsibilities.
Source: Richard Reeves, Dad s Army: The case for father-friendly workplaces, Work Foundation (0870 165 6700)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
Three organisations launched a campaign for a cultural change in attitudes, with greater paid work opportunities for women and greater involvement by men in family life.
Source: Press release 16.9.02, Fawcett Society (020 7628 4441), Equal Opportunities Commission and Fathers Direct
Links: Press release (pdf)
Date: 2002-Sep
A study examined why parents undertake atypical working hours, and the effects on family life. Control over working arrangements depended largely on labour market position, with parents in lower socio-economic groups more likely than those in professional jobs to feel they had no option but to work at atypical times.
Source: Ivana La Valle, Sue Arthur, Christine Millward, James Scott with Marion Clayden, Happy Families? Atypical Work and its Influence on Family Life, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: JRF Findings 982
Date: 2002-Sep
A study examined how workers and managers deal with the overlap between caring and work responsibilities in three different sectors. Fifty per cent of employees surveyed, including those with care responsibilities, were unaware of the family-friendly policies of their employers; and employers had very few links with local care service providers.
Source: Sue Yeandle, Rosemary Crompton, Andrea Wigfield and Jane Dennett, Employed Carers and Family-Friendly Employment Policies, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: JRF Findings 972
Date: 2002-Sep
Researchers examined the extent and effect of family-friendly working arrangements, based on a national survey of employers.
Sources: S. Dex and C. Smith, The Nature and Pattern of Family Friendly Employment Policies in Britain, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: JRF Findings 5112 (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/4, Digest 124 (paragraph 7.4)
Date: 2002-May