BUSINESS LEADERS are hesitant to back calls to extend parental leave by at least a year –warning that even existing family-friendly policies are already placing strain on some firms.
The call comes from the Best Start Partnership – a coalition of early-years organisations – which urged the Government to strengthen support for parents during the “critical” first 1,001 days of a child’s life.
In a submission to a Scrutiny panel currently reviewing the Island’s family-friendly legislation, the Partnership said recent reforms – including increased parental leave and new protections for breastfeeding – were a “positive move in the right direction” but didn’t go far enough in supporting “optimal outcomes for babies”.
While the proposal has been strongly supported by some Jersey business figures, Jersey’s Chamber of Commerce has been more cautious and warned that existing policies were already proving challenging for many employers.
Chief executive Murray Norton said: “While we are broadly supportive of the changes brought by family-friendly legislation over the last few years, there are some areas where our members are experiencing difficulties.
“Family-friendly legislation has made a positive contribution towards workplace culture and, with many employers going beyond the statutory requirements, has enhanced the appeal for employees.
He continued: “However, the existing legislation can put added strain on smaller businesses.
“As the Institute of Directors has already identified, the current increased leave entitlement for both parents can cause operational strain for the remaining team who are taking on the extra workload of their absent colleagues, especially when sourcing temporary cover is so challenging.
“We understand the importance of the first 1,001 days in a baby’s life, but we would need to see the details of what the Best Start Partnership is proposing and what effect that would have on businesses.”
The proposal has, however, been strongly endorsed by local recruitment specialist Denise Heavey, who described the current system as outdated and unfit for families facing rising childcare costs.
“Extending parental leave by a year shouldn’t be seen as generous, it should be the baseline. Right now, our policies are built around outdated economic models that treat caregiving as invisible and undervalued,” she said.
The recruitment specialist added: “If we’re serious about wellbeing, gender equality, and social justice, then we must stop asking parents, especially mothers, to choose between survival and bonding.”
A government report revealed last year that most women felt like there was a binary choice between being a good parent and having a professional career.
The Women’s Health and Wellbeing Assessment read: “More than half (56%) of women surveyed agreed that women need to choose between being a good mother and having a career.”
Meanwhile, a 2021 government report revealed that childcare fees in the Island are substantially higher than in England – with childminder fees 37% higher and nursery fees 22% higher in the island compared to the average across all English regions.
Simon Nash, Group Managing Director at Law At Work, said many Jersey employers already recognised the importance of the early years and had implemented past family-friendly reforms successfully.
The employment and health and safety specialist said: “When you look more closely most employers are also parents and grandparents. People who employ others in Jersey know they are a vital part of the fabric of society, one made more healthy by excellent early years provision.”
He continued: “Of course, it takes a bit of planning and a little imagination to make the job and the family work effectively together in those crucial early years. But when employers and employees get it right, it’s a triple win – good for business, good for family and good for our whole Island economy.
“With sound policies, great training and the right advice, employers across the Island have implemented the last set of ‘family-friendly’ legislation, and the best employers will surely take these exciting new changes in their stride.
“Many are already going above and beyond the legal minimum anyway, because they recognise it as a differentiator in the labour market and an asset to building a highly engaged and productive workforce.“
The Scrutiny panel reviewing the legislation, chaired by Deputy Louise Doublet, is assessing how the laws introduced in 2018 and 2020 have worked in practice, how Jersey compares internationally, and whether more change is needed.
Social Security Minister Lyndsay Feltham, meanwhile, said she had “noted” the recent submission from the Partnership and said she would “carefully consider” the Scrutiny panel’s findings when they are published – adding that she was “committed” to supporting Islanders to raise young families.
The panel is currently inviting views via its Family Friendly Legislation Review Survey, which can be accessed here.
