To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to tackle workplace discrimination; in particular, what assessment they have made of the case for more flexible working for men; and what steps they are taking to address issues which prevent men from undertaking a greater share of care work in the home.
Answered on
18 April 2017
The Government believes that increased opportunities for flexible working, including for men, will help to achieve full employment, increasing labour market participation among under-represented groups, and to close the gender pay gap. Flexible working can help families to achieve the right balance between the demands of work and home life and to decide how they will share responsibilities at home and at work.
Government has taken a number of steps to promote greater opportunities for flexible working. The Right to Request Flexible Working entitles employees with 26 weeks’ service to request a working pattern which suits them and their employer. Shared Parental Leave enables working parents to share up to 50 weeks of leave including up to 37 weeks of paid leave in the first year of their child’s life. We are committed to reviewing the impact of these policies in 2019 and 2018 respectively, once they have had a chance to bed in. In the meantime, as set out in the Government’s response to the Women and Equalities Select Committee’s report on the Gender Pay Gap, we will explore options for increasing communications activity around flexible working.