英國新產規:妻子產假可轉丈夫
Fathers will be able to share parental leave to care for babies and will have greater access to their children after couples divorce, under government plans.
根據英國政府的計劃，英國的父親們將能共享產假，照看寶寶，離婚後也將獲得更多陪伴孩子的機會。
David Cameron and Nick Clegg promised “unprecedented support for parents” with a new Children and Families Bill, which also contained measures to make it easier to adopt, and more support for children with special needs.
英國首相大衛•卡梅倫和副首相尼克•克萊格承諾將頒佈一項兒童與家庭新法案，“爲父母們提供前所未有的支持”。法案中還包含讓收養孩子變得更容易、以及對有特殊需要的孩子提供更多支持的舉措。
Parents’ groups “cautiously welcomed” the proposals but business leaders warned that making parental leave more flexible would impose complex “burdens” on employers.
父母羣體對這一提案“有所保留地表示歡迎”，但企業主們警告說讓產假變得更靈活將給僱主們帶來複雜的問題，造成負擔。
Officials said current rules on maternity and paternity leave were “outdated” because they presumed that women will do the “vast majority” of caring for infants.
政府官員稱，當前的產假規定已經“過時了”，因爲舊法規想當然地認爲女性將承擔照顧嬰兒的“絕大部分工作”。
A spokesman for the Department for Business said: “Parents should be able to choose their childcare arrangements for themselves.”
英國商業部的一位發言人說：“父母應該能自主安排誰來照顧小孩。”
There were few details about how the new flexible parental leave arrangements could work. Possible options include allowing mothers to return to work and transferup to nine months of a year’s parental leave to fathers.
關於靈活的新產假相關安排如何運作，並未透露多少細節。也許會允許母親回到工作崗位，並且最多能將9個月的假期轉讓給父親。
However, business groups criticised the move. John Longworth, director generalof the British Chambers of Commerce, warned that companies would face "endless” legal challenges and grievances resulting from “gender-neutral” parental leave.
但是，商業羣體批評了這一舉動。英國商會的總會長約翰•朗沃斯警告說，公司將會因“不分性別的”產假而面臨“無休止的”法律挑戰和申訴。
"Ministers have chosen to ignore the fact that a complex new system of shared parental leave bringsfiendish complexity and huge uncertainty for employers,” he said. “These proposals will hit business at precisely the time ministers are asking companies to create jobs and spur growth.
他說：“複雜的產假共享新體系將給僱主們帶來極其糟糕的複雜狀況和非常大的不確定性，而部長們選擇忽視這一事實。就在部長們讓企業創造就業機會、刺激經濟增長的同時，這些提案卻會對企業造成打擊。”
"While most businesspeople identify with the idea of gender-neutral parental leave, they’ve warned time and again that the Government’s proposals areunwieldy, difficult to understand and fraught with potential complications.”
“儘管大多數商界人士認同產假不分性別的想法，但他們已經屢次得到告誡，知道政府的提案施行起來很麻煩，難以理解，而且暗藏許多糾葛。”
Simon Walker, Director General of the Institute of Directors, also warned that allowing parental leave to be shared risked adding to the burden on companies.
英國董事學會的總會長西蒙•沃克也警告說，讓父母親共享產假將可能增加企業的負擔。
"The Government should be careful not to use this as an opportunity to increase levels of leave,” he said. “Sharing the allowance is fine, but putting heavier burdens on business in these tough times would not be a sensible move.”
他說：“政府應該注意別讓這個新產假方案成爲人們增加休假的機會。共享產假很好，但是在這樣的艱難時期讓企業背上更沉重的負擔不是一個明智之舉。”
