The changes to maternity leave are laid down in the Work and Families Act and have far-reaching consequences for employers and employees.

Women's paid maternity leave will be extended from six, to nine months, and even small employers will now have to keep their job open for a year.

Companies already receive 4.5% extra in their government compensation for the disruption caused when staff have to be temporarily replaced.

Maternity pay is fully funded by the government so it's not taken out of the small employer's pocket unless they choose to top it up. There's an additional 4.5% in there to reflect the extra administration costs.

But, a recent survey of over 1,000 employers, conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) with KPMG, found that 48% of the respondents thought the new maternity provisions would cause some difficulty. Another 9% believe they'll cause significant difficulties. Only 10% thought it would actually be beneficial.

Some fear employers will discriminate more against women with the increased provisions; that they might be put off from hiring women, or find ways of getting rid of them. The Equal Opportunities Commission say it's still a big problem in the workplace.

So, are the new Work and Family Act provisions beneficial for the economy, and if so, who are they benefiting?

Join Sarah Dickins and guests as they examine the impact of the increase in maternity leave on employees and employers across Wales.

You can join the discussion by sending your thoughts to work@bbc.co.uk

Wales@Work on Tuesday 27 February at 6.03pm (repeated Sunday 4 March at 7.03am) on BBC Radio Wales.