Parental Leave
Advice
What is parental leave?
Parental leave is for parents who wish to spend more time with their children. Unlike all other leaves, parental leave is dependent on having a child and not on the applicant’s job.
When can parental leave be claimed & how long does it last?
- Duration: 18 weeks per child.
- Start date: any time from when the child is born/adopted.
- End date: up until the child’s 18th birthday.
- Pay rate: unpaid.
You can only take parental leave via four-week blocks with a minimum of one week (per child).
Eligibility requirements
- Working for a minimum of one year.
- Registered on the child’s birth or adoption certificate (or have parental responsibility).
- Not classed as self-employed or a worker.
- The child must be below eighteen years of age.
How do I claim parental leave?
To claim parental leave, you must inform the employer 21 days before the intended date of your leave, unless specified otherwise, the notice need not be in writing.
Can my request for leave be delayed?
A parental leave request can be delayed if taking the leave would interrupt the functioning of the business or if the leave is taken by the other parent/partner straight after birth.
In cases where the leave is postponed, the employer must explain why the request was refused to the applicant. This explanation must take be sent a week after the original request was made. Additionally, the employer must further suggest a new start date within six months from the date the original request was made.
How we can help
Lestons can intervene if you feel your employer has not given you your allowed leave and pay. To gain our assistance you need to open a case, this is done by taking advantage of our free consultation service, activated by the link at the top of the page, should you wish to start a case the caseworker will send you the suitable payment link. Please note your caseworker can only give generic advice, their role is to prepare your details for handling by our legal team and to act as your point of contact, they will also issue you with your Password and PIN, these will be needed to log onto your client dashboard. From your dashboard you will be able to manage and view every aspect of your case, upload documents, images, files etc.