Regulations introducing additional paternity leave and additional statutory paternity pay (both on the OPSI website) came into force on 6 April 2010. Qualifying parents will be able to transfer leave and pay from the mother to the father. Eligible fathers will be able to take between two and 26 weeks’ leave from when the baby is 20 weeks old. The new rights will apply in relation to babies due on or after 3 April 2011. The right to take additional paternity leave and pay will also apply in relation to children matched for adoption on or after 3 April 2011.
Although it may seem some time before employees will be able to take additional paternity leave, employers need to prepare themselves for the new rights. The expected birth date is the crucial date. Provided that the baby is due on or after 3 April 2011, the father may still be able to take additional leave and pay if the baby is born early. Employers are likely to start getting enquiries from their employees well in advance of next April.
The current series of XpertHR’s Topic of the Week (subscription required) looks at additional paternity leave and pay. In the first article in the series, Kath Sadler-Smith of Osborne Clarke provides an overview of employees’ entitlements to additional paternity leave and pay. Future articles in the series will include a case study and some frequently asked questions.
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Comments (2)
Surely, the additional paternity leave and the additional statutory paternity pay will be helpful to parents.
What appears strange is that it will be a year later that the new regulations will take effect. Do employers need 12 months to get ready?
Posted by Pascalis Claudius Lotinggi @ Raphael | April 7, 2010 8:19 AM
Posted on April 7, 2010 08:19
Thank you for your comment Pascalis. It will be interesting to see what the level of take up is and how prepared employers are. Clio
Posted by Clio Springer | April 7, 2010 10:02 AM
Posted on April 7, 2010 10:02