Job help for parents offered

Northland parents returning to work after extended parental leave are being offered courses to help them upskill, the Northland Chamber of Commerce says.

Business NZ created controversy last week when it presented its submission on the Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months' Paid Leave) Amendment Bill by Labour MP Sue Moroney. The lobby group warned that female job seekers might be discriminated against by employers if the paid parental leave period was extended from 14 to 26 weeks, as proposed by the bill.

Asked for his reaction to the comments, Northland Chamber of Commerce boss Tony Collins said: "There may be some businesses that consider that, but they may have those same views prior to any leave anyway. All businesses are not going to have exactly the same value judgment."

The chamber worked with sole parents returning to work and recognised there were skills they might require after having time off with children, "but that's often for a much more extended time of leave".

Mr Collins said many Northland businesses had refused to downsize staff out of loyalty to their employees and community.

"In general, Northland businesses understand they're part of a wider community and act very responsibly when it comes to employment relations."

The Business NZ submission said employers struggled to find suitable temporary staff to fill parental-leave vacancies. "Employers who have been forced to bear considerable replacement costs, or to find those amongst their other employees willing to provide cover, may well think hard before again employing a woman of child-bearing age."

Business NZ employment-relations manager Paul Mackay said the additional proposed leave allowance may cost employers as parents would lose their sharp edge at work.

Employment-law specialist Blair Scotland, of the Chen Palmer law firm, said extending the period was unlikely to make a difference to people who already discriminated against women because of leave allowances.