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Fin24 user Hendri Terblanche has submitted a special petition to Thandi Modise, chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to amend the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (1997).
In a well formulated argument which refers to the BCEA (1997), Terblanche first outlines family responsibility leave before highlighting unfair dismissal on the basis of being pregnant.
In his letter to Q&A with Terry Bell, Terblanche says he submitted his petition last Friday, also to the Office of the Minister of Labour, Mildred Oliphant.
Referring to Bell's "insightful Fin24.com column", he says "the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (1997) fails to address an important issue which is commonly referred to as 'Paternity Leave'.
"According to Section 27 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (1997) an employee is entitled to family responsibility leave when his or her child is born.
"This means that a father is entitled to only three days paid family responsibility leave when his child is born. If a father chooses to take his three days paid leave to spend with his new born child and support his wife/partner, he in effect cancels any further paid family responsibility leave for that leave cycle."
Terblanche says everyone is quick to say that fathers are not involved enough with their children, but with only three days paid family responsibility leave to their disposal, they already have a disadvantage from the start.
"Parenting is a team effort and therefore the Basic Conditions of Employment Act needs to be amended to include at least Ten Days Paid “Paternity Leave” for Fathers."
Cost of 10 days paternity leave
As part of his argument, Terblanche says the only negative aspect of 10 days paid paternity leave is the actual cost to the employer with the 10 days absenteeism of fathers with the birth of their child(ren) from work.
"The average monthly income for employed males aged 15-64, as per Census 2011 was R9 396 per month. If the average salary per month was R9 396 than the cost of paternity leave for 10 days will be +/- R4 335.95 per birth of a child."
Impact / benefit of paternity leave
The best case for paternity leave is children who benefit from a father's day-to-day involvement from birth which paternity leave promotes, Terblanche says.
To support his argument, Terblanche references research by others in the Fatherhood Institute UK about the impact and benefits of paternity leave on children, mothers, fathers, couples and business for your perusal.
Impact on children:
• In the UK, fathers not using paternity leave or not sharing childcare responsibilities are associated with increased likelihood of their three year old having developmental problems (Dex & Ward, 2007)
• In Sweden an increase in fathers’ share of parental leave over time has been paralleled by a downward trend in child injury rates, age 0-4 years (Laflamme et al, 2012)
• Some have suggested that leave-taking by fathers would be associated with greater incidence of child injury. This is not born out in the research: in Sweden, child injury (age 0-2 years) was lower during paternity as compared with maternity leave (Laflamme et al, 2012)
• If one parent is better-educated than the other, some children may benefit from the better-educated parent undertaking more care: e.g. in Norway, girls (but not boys) have been found to do better at school when a father who was better educated than their mother took longer-than-average leave (Cools et al, 2011.)
• In Sweden, longer leave-taking by mothers only impacted positively on children’s scholastic performance if the mother was highly educated (Liu and Sans, 2010).
• Australian children whose fathers take long leave after their birth perform better in cognitive development tests and are more likely to be prepared for school at ages four and five (Huerta et al, 2013)
• High take up of parental leave by Swedish fathers is linked to more contact with children after separation (Duvander and Jans, 2009).
Impact on mothers:
• In the UK, a father’s taking paternity leave is strongly associated with mothers’ well-being three months after the birth (Redshaw & Henderson, 2013)
• In Norway, mothers’ absence due to sickness is reduced by about 5–10% from an average level of 20% in families where fathers take longer leave (Bratberg and Naz, 2009)
• In France, when paternity leave results in more infant care by fathers, new mothers are less likely to be depressed (Séjourné et al, 2012)
Impact on couples:
• In Norway, following the introduction of the four-week ‘daddy quota’ significant numbers of fathers took longer leave. After this, an 11% lower level of conflict over household division of labour was found, and couples were 50% more likely to share clothes-washing equally (Kotsadam and Finseraas, 2011).
• Similarly, in Quebec, some years after the introduction of their ‘daddy quota’, fathers were found to be more engaged in routine household tasks (Patnaik, 2013). A robust evidence base finds that greater participation in household chores is connected with couple relationship stability.
• Swedish couples are 30% less likely to separate if the father took more than two weeks leave to care for their first child (Olah, 2001).
• There is less violence in families where fathers have taken parental leave (Holter et al, 2008)
In his business case for paternity leave, Terblanche, argues that mothers can take shorter maternity leave, which employers will welcome.
Again citing overseas references, he says employers told the UK’s Department of Trade and Industry when paternity leave was first mooted, that maternity leave greater than six months was particularly problematic for them.
He also says paternity and additional paternity leave enables fathers to become more skilled at babycare and to take on more of the caring. "Research shows that many more women would be willing to return to work if their babies were being looked after by their babies’ fathers (Hand, 2005; Houston & Marks, 2005).
"When women take shorter maternity leave, this strengthens their attachment to the workforce and enables them to maintain or improve employment gains with knock-on positive effects for employers who are then maximising their investment in the women."
Research also shows addressing fathers’ caring responsibilities transparently through paternity leave enables employers to optimise the men’s performance. "Sweeping fatherhood under the carpet’ is no longer a viable strategy."
"Today’s fathers (EOC, 2003) have substantial caring responsibilities. Employed fathers usually have employed partners – and UK dads with full-time employed partners do 33% of child-related tasks on weekdays and more at weekends."
Terry Bell responds:
What an incredibly well researched proposal, Hendri. And it is something with which I heartily concur. I can add nothing to the well sourced arguments you make, but will certainly support your proposal while advising that your submission be as widely read as possible.
There may also be a Constitutional issue involved, but I will have to research that. In the meantime I only wish that our policy makers show as much initiative and ability when formulating legislative proposals.
All power to your campaign,
Terry
*Have a question for Terry? Drop us a line.
- Fin24
* Terry Bell is an independent political, economic and labour analyst. Views expressed are his own. Follow him on twitter @telbelsa.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on Fin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
Fin24 user Hendri Terblanche has submitted a special petition to Thandi Modise, chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to amend the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (1997).
In a well formulated argument which refers to the BCEA (1997), Terblanche first outlines family responsibility leave before highlighting unfair dismissal on the basis of being pregnant.
In his letter to Q&A with Terry Bell, Terblanche says he submitted his petition last Friday, also to the Office of the Minister of Labour, Mildred Oliphant.
Referring to Bell's "insightful Fin24.com column", he says "the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (1997) fails to address an important issue which is commonly referred to as 'Paternity Leave'.
"According to Section 27 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (1997) an employee is entitled to family responsibility leave when his or her child is born.
"This means that a father is entitled to only three days paid family responsibility leave when his child is born. If a father chooses to take his three days paid leave to spend with his new born child and support his wife/partner, he in effect cancels any further paid family responsibility leave for that leave cycle."
Terblanche says everyone is quick to say that fathers are not involved enough with their children, but with only three days paid family responsibility leave to their disposal, they already have a disadvantage from the start.
"Parenting is a team effort and therefore the Basic Conditions of Employment Act needs to be amended to include at least Ten Days Paid “Paternity Leave” for Fathers."
Cost of 10 days paternity leave
As part of his argument, Terblanche says the only negative aspect of 10 days paid paternity leave is the actual cost to the employer with the 10 days absenteeism of fathers with the birth of their child(ren) from work.
"The average monthly income for employed males aged 15-64, as per Census 2011 was R9 396 per month. If the average salary per month was R9 396 than the cost of paternity leave for 10 days will be +/- R4 335.95 per birth of a child."
Impact / benefit of paternity leave
The best case for paternity leave is children who benefit from a father's day-to-day involvement from birth which paternity leave promotes, Terblanche says.
To support his argument, Terblanche references research by others in the Fatherhood Institute UK about the impact and benefits of paternity leave on children, mothers, fathers, couples and business for your perusal.
Impact on children:
• In the UK, fathers not using paternity leave or not sharing childcare responsibilities are associated with increased likelihood of their three year old having developmental problems (Dex & Ward, 2007)
• In Sweden an increase in fathers’ share of parental leave over time has been paralleled by a downward trend in child injury rates, age 0-4 years (Laflamme et al, 2012)
• Some have suggested that leave-taking by fathers would be associated with greater incidence of child injury. This is not born out in the research: in Sweden, child injury (age 0-2 years) was lower during paternity as compared with maternity leave (Laflamme et al, 2012)
• If one parent is better-educated than the other, some children may benefit from the better-educated parent undertaking more care: e.g. in Norway, girls (but not boys) have been found to do better at school when a father who was better educated than their mother took longer-than-average leave (Cools et al, 2011.)
• In Sweden, longer leave-taking by mothers only impacted positively on children’s scholastic performance if the mother was highly educated (Liu and Sans, 2010).
• Australian children whose fathers take long leave after their birth perform better in cognitive development tests and are more likely to be prepared for school at ages four and five (Huerta et al, 2013)
• High take up of parental leave by Swedish fathers is linked to more contact with children after separation (Duvander and Jans, 2009).
Impact on mothers:
• In the UK, a father’s taking paternity leave is strongly associated with mothers’ well-being three months after the birth (Redshaw & Henderson, 2013)
• In Norway, mothers’ absence due to sickness is reduced by about 5–10% from an average level of 20% in families where fathers take longer leave (Bratberg and Naz, 2009)
• In France, when paternity leave results in more infant care by fathers, new mothers are less likely to be depressed (Séjourné et al, 2012)
Impact on couples:
• In Norway, following the introduction of the four-week ‘daddy quota’ significant numbers of fathers took longer leave. After this, an 11% lower level of conflict over household division of labour was found, and couples were 50% more likely to share clothes-washing equally (Kotsadam and Finseraas, 2011).
• Similarly, in Quebec, some years after the introduction of their ‘daddy quota’, fathers were found to be more engaged in routine household tasks (Patnaik, 2013). A robust evidence base finds that greater participation in household chores is connected with couple relationship stability.
• Swedish couples are 30% less likely to separate if the father took more than two weeks leave to care for their first child (Olah, 2001).
• There is less violence in families where fathers have taken parental leave (Holter et al, 2008)
In his business case for paternity leave, Terblanche, argues that mothers can take shorter maternity leave, which employers will welcome.
Again citing overseas references, he says employers told the UK’s Department of Trade and Industry when paternity leave was first mooted, that maternity leave greater than six months was particularly problematic for them.
He also says paternity and additional paternity leave enables fathers to become more skilled at babycare and to take on more of the caring. "Research shows that many more women would be willing to return to work if their babies were being looked after by their babies’ fathers (Hand, 2005; Houston & Marks, 2005).
"When women take shorter maternity leave, this strengthens their attachment to the workforce and enables them to maintain or improve employment gains with knock-on positive effects for employers who are then maximising their investment in the women."
Research also shows addressing fathers’ caring responsibilities transparently through paternity leave enables employers to optimise the men’s performance. "Sweeping fatherhood under the carpet’ is no longer a viable strategy."
"Today’s fathers (EOC, 2003) have substantial caring responsibilities. Employed fathers usually have employed partners – and UK dads with full-time employed partners do 33% of child-related tasks on weekdays and more at weekends."
Terry Bell responds:
What an incredibly well researched proposal, Hendri. And it is something with which I heartily concur. I can add nothing to the well sourced arguments you make, but will certainly support your proposal while advising that your submission be as widely read as possible.
There may also be a Constitutional issue involved, but I will have to research that. In the meantime I only wish that our policy makers show as much initiative and ability when formulating legislative proposals.
All power to your campaign,
Terry
*Have a question for Terry? Drop us a line.
- Fin24
* Terry Bell is an independent political, economic and labour analyst. Views expressed are his own. Follow him on twitter @telbelsa.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on Fin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
