The Australian Labor Party ( ALP ) is seriously considering extending maternity leave beyond the existing schemes of paid and unpaid leave. What is being considered is allowing either or both parents to opt for two years unpaid leave of absence from their jobs to bond and care for the new born.
The business community recoils in horror. This is a sure and certain way to wreck the Australian economy. Maternity leave comes with all sorts of obligations that are anathema for business. The person on leave is guaranteed the right to return to the job they held before going on leave - and they also have the right to demand easing back into paid employment by way of part time work.
This proposal ignores reality. In the area of communications progress is so rapid that two years absence from the workforce leaves the employee in the Jurassic age. Both jargon and electronics have moved on and the returning person would need vigorous retraining to be able to contribute useful work skills.
It ignores the needs of small business who would have to hire a replacement for the person on maternity leave. In the present skills shortage few would be interested in a job which they know will end when a person of leave returns - and what happens when the replacement demonstrates a superiority of skill and knowledge over the former employee ? In some cases, the employer would have to sack a desireable employee to make way for the return of a drone !
The ALP is a socialist party and this seems a shiboleth of socialist desire. Unfortunately it has no place in a capitalist world. If it becomes ALP policy prior to this years Federal election it will be a handicap that may well see Kevin Rudd retain his position as opposition leader !
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