The Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010: a new dawn or more 'sound-bite' legislation?

The right to request flexible working has previously been described as 'sound-bite' legislation. While it appeared to be a novel and innovative right, in reality it offered little of substance for the majority of working families. The more recent Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010 could possibly be classified in the same way. These Regulations aim to bring about a change in the landscape of UK work-family rights. However, like the rights to request flexible working, it can be questioned whether or not they will offer anything more to working families. This paper examines the likely impact that the legislation will have using Fineman's understanding of family care, drawing comparisons with the different approaches adopted in Sweden and the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]