Radical reforms will allow both parents to share up to a year’s leave to look after their new-born children, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced. The changes will allow fathers to play a greater role in raising their child, help mothers to return to work at a time that’s right for them, and create more flexible workplaces to boost the economy.

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation's (REC) response to the Government's ‘Modern Workplaces’ consultation has highlighted the importance of flexible work to the economy, and the role that recruiters and the business community must play in building a modern workforce. 

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is concerned that Government plans to extend flexible working and introduce changes to parental leave, at a time when it has committed to cutting red tape, will hit small businesses hard. 

The Government has launched a consultation on plans to introduce a new system of flexible parental leave from 2015 as part of its plans to create a modern workplace for the modern economy.