What Are The Uk Standard Paternity Leave Rights?

Having a child is a special experience for any parent or parents. There’s so much to prepare and organise during the pregnancy phase, such as putting a comfortable room together and making sure your new born has the correct clothes, blankets and food. Whilst you can’t prepare enough for your new born baby, the real test will come once he or she enters this big wide world.

The early days, weeks and years of a baby’s life are crucial to their long term development and overall wellbeing. Not only that, but this is a special time for a parent or parents to spend time with their child, care for them and create a special bond. This is where parental leave plays a huge role.

Parental leave is a benefit where you receive paid or unpaid time off work to care for your child and make arrangements for their welfare. Parental leave can be split into what’s known as maternity and paternity, whilst there’s also adoption leave. Maternity and paternity are legal terms to stipulate the relationship that a parent has with their child, so maternity relates to the mother and paternity relates to the father.

In the UK, the mother is entitled to a statutory 52 weeks paid leave. They have payment benefits as well, however the father is also entitled to leave and payment; so what are their rights?

Ordinary Paternity Leave Entitlement

If you are employed and you take leave to care for your baby, then you’re entitled to this type of leave. As long as you’ve been working with the same employer for twenty six weeks then you’re entitled. You also must be one of the following: the biological father, the partner or husband of the mother (including same-sex relationships, the guardian of an adopted child, and the partner or husband of the guardian adopting the child (including same-sex relationships).

When it comes to taking the time off, you can take either one or two weeks off. A week constitutes as your normal working week; you are not allowed to take separate days off and if you take the full two weeks, these must be taken together.

Ordinary Statutory Paternity Pay

As long as you’ve worked with your employer for at least twenty six weeks and you inform them that you intend to take this leave by the fifteenth week before your baby is due, then you’re entitled to paternity pay. You must be earning at least £102 a week. After you’ve informed your employer you must continue to work with them without a break, up until the birth or adoption date.

With Ordinary Statutory Paternity Pay you are allowed to take leave for two weeks. The current weekly rate is at £128.73 which came into effect as of April 2011. You’re entitled to receive this amount or if you earn less than this a week, you’ll receive 90% of your average weekly earnings. You’re employer may also require you to complete a self-certificate form to confirm your entitlement.

Additional Paternity Leave

As of new changes to the law, if your baby was born after April 3rd 2011, then you have the right to take an additional 26 weeks paternity leave. This can be taken 20 weeks after your child is born or has been adopted and you can take the additional 26 weeks up to one year after birth or adoption. You may also be entitled to additional statutory paternity pay, however to qualify you must meet a certain criteria issued by the government.

The level of paternity leave will be set out with your employer. This can be viewed in a company hand book, or simply ask your boss about your paternity rights within the company.

By: Vincent A Rogers

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Vincent Rogers writes for a number of UK businesses, for Baby Push Chairs, he recommends Nursery Value.