According to a survey by the British Chamber of Commerce of 1,300 businesses, more than half (52 per cent) of managers say that they expect additional paternity leave requirements to be detrimental to their companies.

New additional paternity leave legislation will allow fathers of children born on or after 3 April to share the maternity leave and pay if the mother returns to work early. This will allow them to take a total of six months off.

Director general of the BCC David Frost says, ‘In the face of promises by the government to listen to the needs of business and cut red tape, this new piece of employment regulation will hit businesses hard.

‘Our survey results show that employment law changes are causing great concern among employers, who, instead of concentrating on running their business, have to cope with more and more shifts in employment law. Unless practical steps are taken to help free businesses from red tape, the burden on employers will only increase.’