Basically as a permanent (out of probation I think) employee you can ask for Statutory Additional Paternity Leave and Pay if your partner returns to work before the end of their maternity (or adoption) leave or pay period. So in short you basically split the maternity leave between you, you do the first half and then your partner takes over. I only know about this wonderful option after a friend did the same just before I got pregnant!
This bit is an abstract from gov.uk :
Eligible employees are entitled to:
- Additional Paternity Leave (APL) - for between 2 and 26 weeks
- ASPP - £138.18 per week or 90% of their gross average weekly earnings (whichever is lower)
The woman has to have the first part and has to be a minimum of 20 weeks until she can hand over care to her partner (UK law). So in total between you there are 46 weeks to take.
A bit from the acas site on eligibility:
Paternity leave is available to employees who:
- have or expect to have responsibility for the child's upbringing
- are the biological father of the child or the mother's husband or partner (including same sex relationships)
- have worked continuously for their employer for 26 weeks ending with the 15th week before the baby is due or the end of the week in which the child's adopter is notified of being matched with the child
- give the correct notice.
Before dad can take over you have to go back to work fully.
I go back to work when Daisy is 7 months old and then Ben will have the remaining weeks. We chose to do this for financial reasons but also because he will never get the option to have this time with her again, it's a great chance to bond and spend time with her like I have.
All info can be found on www.gov.uk too along with more info.
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