Wed 1 Aug, 2007
It's about time
Towards a parental leave policy that gives New Zealand families real choice
All of society benefits when children get the best possible start in life. This report recommends how New Zealand can improve parental leave provisions to give parents real choices in balancing employment and family responsibilities.
The Families Commission recommends extending parental leave and providing better support to benefit families, children, employers, and workplaces. Our recommendations would bring New Zealand’s provisions closer to those in other developed countries:
- Provide leave to more people
- Offer longer periods of paid leave
- Close the gap between work income and parental leave payments.
Six cost-analysed aspects of parental leave and support are covered:
- Funding
- Duration
- Structure
- Level of payments
- Employment requirements
- Flexibility.
Our recommendations illustrate how New Zealand can do better to give parents real choices around parental leave.
