Inglês — L. interpretação de texto - reading comprehension

Minister calls for wider fl exible working rightsBritish government ministers are considering giving allemployees the right to ask for fl exible working hours fromthe beginning of a new job as part of plans to encourage afundamental shift in working habits.The Work and Pensions Secretary, Yvette Cooper, says heroffi ce is working with employers and organisations such asthe federation of small businesses to draw up new ways ofsupporting men as well as women and non-parents as wellas parents working more fl exible hours.The current rules are limited to parents of children under 16and carers, and Cooper wants to extend them. You wantpeople to offer fl exible working from the beginning andwe need to look again at how the legislation can supportdifferent ways of doing that, she said.There will be some areas where it's not possible to fi tround particular school hours or particular things where thenature of the businessmakes it hard - but what you needis the cultural change for everybody to think differently.Cooper's proposals come as the government announcedthat fathers will be given the right to six months' paternityleave.There will be a legal right to take the mother's place athome for the last three months of a nine-month maternitybreak; they would receive 123 a week in statutory pay.Fathers would then be entitled to take a further threemonths' unpaid leave. The move was criticised by somebusiness leaders.(From: The Guardian, Friday 29 January 2010 -slightly adapted)

Ms Cooper hopes her new proposals will give more fl exible working hours