THE Government has taken a huge leap in the dark with the introduction of parental leave, says a leading Sussex accountant.

Mark Spofforth, president of the South Eastern Society of Chartered Accountants, says no one knows what the likely take-up will be, or how it will affect the many small businesses in Sussex.

He said: "Almost all European countries now have arrangements for working parents, but there is an astonishing lack of information on this major new development in the labour market."

There are great variations in national legislation and take-up rates, but the one constant element is that parental leave is taken mainly by women.

Mr Spofforth said: "In Germany around 96 per cent of families take up their parental leave entitlement but the share of fathers is between one and two per cent.

"The position is similar in Austria, where about eight per cent of the female workforce is on parental leave at any one time. In France it is mainly mothers who make use of the right to parental leave.

"Around nine per cent of Dutch fathers take parental leave, compared with just three per cent of Danish fathers."

In the UK parents now have the right to take up to 13 weeks leave during the first five years of their child's life, but it is unpaid and this, says Mr Spofforth, could affect its popularity.

"The impact of the new legislation in this country remains to be seen, but employers should be aware of the new family-friendly rights and plan for the possible effects, particularly if key staff are likely to be involved," he warned.

The legislation also gives employees the right to take a reasonable period of time off work to deal

with emergencies involving a dependent.

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