Mark Lee on Child Development Co-Savings (Amendment) Bill

In Parliament on Wednesday (Nov 13), NMP Mark Lee sought clarity on behalf of employers on several aspects of the new shared parental leave scheme. First - what would constitute “reasonable cause” for not granting leave. Second - how claims and reimbursement for paid leave will be divided for parents with multiple jobs or a combination of employment and self-employment. Third - reimbursement if leave is granted to a new hire who has yet to complete three months of employment. Mr Lee said the business community supports enhanced shared parental leave as being essential for workforce sustainability and economic resilience. Yet, it presents operational challenges, especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These include additional costs during the overlap when both returning employees and temporary staff may be needed. He urged the Government to consider support measures such as extended pay coverage for returning employees by one to two months, to help offset the operational impact.