Julia
Gillard,
Deputy Labor Leader and Shadow Minister for Employment & Industrial
Relations has today announced that a Rudd Labor Government will provide grants
to assist small businesses implement family friendly work
practices.
In addition to previously announced work and family measures, a
Rudd Labor Government will invest $12 million to encourage small businesses to
pursue practices that help employees balance their family obligations as well as
improve retention and productivity.
A Rudd Labor Government will invest $12 million in a national
initiative that will:
- Provide grants to small business to meet the set up costs of
family friendly measures such as flexible rosters, school holiday leave
arrangements, family rooms and mentoring;
- Distribute business and industry specific information to support
work-based family friendly practices; and
- Ensure experts are available through Fair Work Australia offices
to help small business develop new family friendly arrangements in their
workplace.
Labor understands that small businesses employ more than 2 million
Australians but often lacks the time and resources to pursue family friendly
measures.
Labor understands that to maintain an economy with high levels of
productivity and participation, there must be support for parents to balance
their caring responsibilities with
work.
This $12 million Rudd Labor Government initiative
will:
- Help small business retain skilled workers and reduce the
additional costs associated with high employee
turnover;
- Help meet the needs of working
families;
- Assist small business attract workers in a tight labour
market;
- Help maintain workforce motivation, achieving higher
productivity;
- Provide greater continuity of employment and ensure greater
ongoing attachment to the workforce; and
- Provide incentive for and greater awareness of family friendly
work practices.
Only Labor is committed to effective and practical measures that
help all working parents balance their work and family
responsibilities.
Only Labor is committed to help small business manage their
workforce efficiently to achieve greater participation and
productivity.
Labor has already committed
to:
- Additional parental leave;
- Flexible working arrangements for
parents;
- A new Office of Work and
Family;
- 260 new childcare centres;
and
- Reinvigorated National Work and Family
Awards.