Additional paternity leave rights for fathers comes into effect

Posted on: 14/04/2011 - Employment   |   Employment

New rights providing additional paternity leave and pay for fathers have now come into effect.

The new rights apply to fathers whose partners gave birth on or after 3rd April this year. They allow fathers to take up to 26 weeks leave to care for their child providing they fulfil certain conditions.

The additional paternity leave can only begin 20 or more weeks after the birth of the child and once the mother has returned to work from her statutory maternity leave.

The leave will also have to be completed by the end of the 52nd week after the child’s birth, and the father will only receive the additional statutory paternity pay for the period in which his partner would have been receiving statutory maternity pay.

The father must give his employer at least eight weeks notice of when he wishes to begin the additional leave. He must also declare that he is taking the leave to care for the child.

The new rights also apply to parents who adopt a child.

Please contact us if you would like more information about additional paternity leave or any aspect of employment law.

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