Dyson Ruth: Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Dyson Ruth: Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:617;Page:13354] 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Associate Minister of Labour) 
: 
 I move  
That the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill be now read a first time. 
 At the appropriate time I intend to move that the Social Services Committee consider the bill that the committee present its final report on the bill by 9 August 2004 and that the committee have the authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting except during oral questions and during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House and on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House despite Standing Orders 191 and 194(1)(b) and (c). 
Paid parental leave is one component of our Government’s policy to promote high-quality working lives. Since this Government introduced paid parental leave in 2002 thousands of working parents have benefited from paid leave from work on the birth or adoption of a child. Last year the Government conducted a review of paid parental leave which shows that the scheme has been very successful and both employees and employers have adjusted well to the entitlement. Benefits identified by employers include happier and more satisfied staff and a greater likelihood of being able to retain experienced staff. Benefits identified by employees include being able to afford to stay home longer with a new baby and reduced financial stress through the provision of some income replacement during that period of paid leave. 
However the review also showed that the scheme could be improved to extend coverage to employees who are not eligible for paid parental leave because they have not worked for the same employer for at least 12 months. It could also be improved by providing a longer period of paid leave. This bill will extend the period of paid parental leave from 12 weeks to 14 weeks for eligible parents. Eligible parents will be entitled to 13 weeks’ paid parental leave from 1 December 2004 rising to 14 weeks from 1 December next year. This extension will improve New Zealand’s compliance with human rights standards relating to the length of paid maternity leave under ILO Convention 183 Concerning the Revision of the Maternity Protection Convention. 
The bill will provide a new set of entitlements for employees who have worked for the same employer for between 6 and 12 months and who are not currently eligible for paid parental leave. Eligible employees in this group will be entitled to 13 weeks from 1 December of this year and again rising to 14 weeks on 1 December next year. In addition 1 week’s paid paternity leave will be available to eligible fathers or partners who have worked for the same employer for between 6 and 12 months. 
This bill provides practical enhancements to the paid parental leave scheme that further a number of objectives supporting the birth or adoption of a child. These amendments will ensure that the scheme is accessible to a wider number of employees provide a longer period of paid leave encourage female workplace attachment and support the health and well-being of mothers and newborn babies. I commend this bill to the House.