The Employment Rights Bill could have the unintended consequence of undermining women’s rights and create conditions that could force more women out of the workforce, MPs and charities have warned.

MP Stella Creasy is seeking to amend the legislation, which enters the report stage next week (11 March), to ensure equal protections for mothers and fathers. She argues that although the bill aims to strengthen maternity rights for pregnant women, the lack of new measures for protected pay and leave for fathers will continue to leave women facing discrimination in the workplace.

She said that the bill “bolstered maternity rights, without consideration of the rights of fathers”. This could see more women facing discrimination in the workplace and more fathers cut out because of the pressure to go out and earn.

Creasy warned: “The bill gives mums much better protection against maternity discrimination, and that’s a good thing. But without consideration of pay and protected leave for fathers, the risk is it reinforces ideas that it’s ladies who do babies. Dads want to step up.”

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She pointed out that the UK’s two weeks of statutory parental leave is among the worst in Europe.

Norway, for example, allocates 15 weeks of parental leave exclusively for fathers – and it is paid at more than 90% of the average salary.

Statutory paternity pay is currently £184.03 a week (£187.18 from 6 April 2025) or 90% of an employee’s average weekly earnings – whichever amount is lower.

Some companies offer enhanced pay and leave as part of benefits packages to staff – but many firms are unable to afford their own schemes.

Her amendment to the bill, supported by more than 60 MPs, will require the government to consult on the introduction of protected parental leave and pay.

Creasy has support from men’s charity Movember, which stated it was “time to close the parental leave gap” and act swiftly to “support men’s health, balance caregiving responsibilities, and help families build strong foundations for better health outcomes”.

Amy O’Connor, Movember’s global lead for policy and advocacy, said: “Supporting dads through increased parental leave helps improve bonds, relationships and health outcomes. The data shows that most British people want dads to have more than two weeks’ statutory leave.”

A government spokesman said: “We are making paternity leave and unpaid parental leave day-one rights as part of our Employment Rights Bill, and are also carrying out a review of wider statutory parental leave to ensure it offers the best possible support to working families.

“There are already protections in place against dismissal for fathers looking to take or who have taken paternity leave. Like mothers on maternity leave, fathers who take shared parental leave are protected from redundancy and also receive protection when they return to work if they took six consecutive or more weeks of leave.”

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