New fathers have been “betrayed” by Labour’s flagship employment rights bill, campaigners have said, after it emerged that a promised “day one” right to paternity leave will not include the right to statutory pay.
The Guardian has learned that while the bill will give an estimated 30,000 more new dads each year statutory paternity leave, they will still need to have worked for the same employer for at least six months up to the ‘qualifying week’ - 15 weeks before the baby is due - before being eligible for statutory paternity pay.
