Slow-down plea over workplace reforms

Harriet Harman: Pace of reform is too fast

A former Labour cabinet member is warning that the government's policy on parental leave and working hours is hitting employers hard.

The timetable for implementation was far too short.....and created problems for employers that could have been avoided

Harriet Harman

According to press reports, Harriet Harman has said Labour's family-friendly policies should have been implemented more slowly.

The former social security secretary made her comments in a memorandum to Trade Secretary Stephen Byers, who will be drawing up a consultation document on more workplace regulations in the autumn.

Reports of Miss Harman's criticisms come a day after the Industrial Society warned that extending maternity leave for women would increase sex discrimination because employers would fear women would take long periods of absence.

The Labour government has introduced a system of 13 weeks' unpaid parental leave.

Employers' opt-out

According to the Daily Telegraph, Miss Harman calls for employers to be given the right to stop parents taking lengthy periods of leave if it would "seriously damage" their business.

The paper quotes her memorandam as saying: "The timetable for implementation was far too short, both for the Working Time Regulations and the Parental Leave Regulations, and created problems for employers that could have been avoided."

In the five-page document submitted to the DTI earlier this month, Miss Harman also calls for measures to encourage employers to allow mothers to return to the workforce.

She suggests the government pay employers a "baby bounty" if they allow a former full-time employee to return to work part-time after having a child.

Miss Harman also suggests a back-to-work bonus for employers taking back an employee who has spent a year or more away from work after the birth of a child.

A DTI spokesman welcomed Miss Harman's contribution to the debate.