For that reason, we call our scheme, not a fallback scheme, but a default scheme. The key to the success of implementing parental leave is flexibility. We do not want to dictate how businesses should manage parental leave. Our default scheme is simply a fallback, ensuring that employees still get their rights even if agreement cannot be reached at the workplace. That will guarantee minimum standards, but we want employers to go beyond these standards where they can.
Minimum standards are essential, but they are only a foundation.
We are laying down a baseline, on which we hope employers will build. We should not underestimate the historic significance of this new right for working parents. For the first time in this country, parents fathers as well as mothers will be able to take 13 weeks' parental leave to spend with their child, until the child's fifth birthday. For the first time, adoptive parents will be able to take leave to spend time with their adopted child, over a five-year period from the date of placement for adoption. For the first time, parents of disabled children, in addition to the rest of the package, will be able to take time off to accompany their child to medical appointments until their child reaches 18 years of age.