It "sucks" that self-employed women do not qualify for the Government's paid parental leave scheme, according to 68 per cent of respondents to a Home Business New Zealand poll.
The scheme, which starts on Monday, allows for 12 weeks' paid leave for new mothers, providing they have worked forthe same employer for at least 10 hours a week for one year.
About 70,000 self-employed women will not be eligible. This means about 8000 mothers who are self-employed or casual workers may miss out each year.
Women's Affairs Minister Laila Harre, who has made the issue her personal crusade, says the Government will try to find a way of providing for those mothers when the scheme is reviewed after 12 months.
While acknowledging there are so many variables involved that implementation and administration of any scheme for self-employed people would be difficult, Home Business managing director Heather Douglas says it is grossly unfair that the self-employed do not qualify.
"For the large majority of self-employed people, their income is dependent on their ability to get out there and earn it.
"If they are not working in their business, their income drops or ceases," Douglas said.
Also, unlike employees, who could expect their employer to be there at the end of 12 weeks or even a year, if an owner-operator shut up shop for that long, there might well be no customers to come back to.
Douglas said the inequity is ironic, given that many self-employed people choose to work from home so they can be more accessible to their children and arrange work commitments around their activities.
She said Home Business would welcome any initiatives that would put self-employed parents on an equivalent footing with employed parents.
"After all, if New Zealand is really serious about encouraging entrepreneurship at grass roots level, making sure self-employed people who wish to start families to continue their entrepreneurial activities at this time are not at a disadvantage would be a significant step forward," she said.
* For more information on paid parental leave call the Employment Relations infoline on 0800 800-863 or visit the website.
