A NEW survey reveals that the majority of employers think the Government's recent proposal to extend the rights of working parents will negatively impact their business.
The online poll by Croner Consulting, one of the UK's leading providers of business advice and support, shows that 61 per cent believe that productivity would suffer if maternity leave was extended by a further six months. The results coincide with Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt's recent proposed plans for longer paid maternity leave, higher paternity pay and extended flexible working rights to carers.
But Richard Smith, human resources expert at Croner Consulting, says: "The survey results aren't surprising and echo a rising debate of whether employees' rights are going too far.
"Most employers try to accommodate working parents as best as they can, but the law should support the employer's need for the work to be done."
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