Coalition Goverment Opposes Extension to Paid Maternity Leave

Edward Davey, the Minister for Employment Relations intends to lobby against the European Parliament’s proposed 20 weeks of maternity leave at full pay at a meeting of the EU Council. The Government considers that the proposals to revise the Pregnant Workers Directive would impose considerable and unacceptable costs on many Member States during the recession. Costs for the United Kingdom alone are estimated at more than GBP2 billion per year.