Same-sex partners and maternity leave?

[EverySingleStar]

As partner is trying to conceive, we're thinking ahead for maternity leave situations. I've read lots of conflicting advice but it seems to me that same-sex partners are considered to have 'paternity leave' rights which at the moment are only a BLOODY 2 WEEKS! I'm outraged at this as I want loads more time with my newborn baby and my partner after she gives birth.

Anyone shed some light or share your own experiences?

at least you get that - I live in Ireland and got diddly squat. Thankfully I have wonderful colleagues who covered for me for the first week and were very gentle to me thereafter. But that's hardly the point.

It's a pretty crap deal for dads too IMHO and surely it should be called 'parental' leave??

yes, as the partner of someone who's giving birth you are entitled to the same as a father, which is 2 weeks.

you can take parental leave. each parent of a child can take up to 13 weeks unpaid leave, but your company might have policies about how much you can take in any given year.

in my experience, most people use some holiday to suppliment their paternity/parental leave. it's not like you'll have the energy or money to go away!

Smitten Sadly we get 4 weeks holiday (plus bank holidays) a year and as we are both nannies for private households and my family all live on another continent, we WILL be taking our holidays when baby is about 4 months old (if we conceive soon!) around Christmas. Sigh

Just that in my contract it states maternity leave...not paternity leave - how would I go about broaching it with employers?

Hi - when dp had ds1 I took the 2 weeks paternity leave and added on 4 weeks annual leave which I'd saved up. It was great and much longer than lots of fathers get, but I still remember running home (literally!) from work on my first day back, desperate to see ds1 and dp.

I also re-arranged my hours so that I worked full time over 4 days so I was at home 1 day a week but still paid full time.

Hi EverySingleStar

Several of my friends are nannies and they often get a raw deal with pay, bonuses, terms of employment, etc., but at least you do have a contract and your employers have considered maternity leave so hopefully they will be willing to consider parental leave. (They probably used a standard nanny contract which assumes all nannies are hetero females!) How much do they know about you and your partner? I guess that will determine how you go about broaching the subject with them.

We are TTC again after a MC at the end of May. Leaning alot about being patient, which is not my or DP's strong point! DP will be taking her 2 weeks paternity or parental leave, that's it!

Best of luck xx

Hi there,
Yes they do get the same rights paternity wise, its 14 days in total. I am due to start mine anytime now (hopefully) and ive added 2 weeks holiday too onto that so 1 month off. Still isnt enough in my eyes but at least its some.Do have a look into extra un-paid time though as you are by law able to take this, no matter what your employer has to say about it. Also there is a thing such as flexable working hours this you able to put to your emplayer for naybody with a child under th age of 5 I think it is maybe if you work late finish earlier whatever works for you they have to consider it, maybe another option. Hoep all goes well for you both xx

Hi, may be worth you looking at a website I used called Pride Angel, they have a legal help section where you can post messages to people who specialise in this area, they will answer questions quite quickly and are very helpful, im sure they will know if there is a way around the contract wording, hope they can help. (the link is www.prideangel.com) Its always best to be forwarned and then you can meet any problems head on! Good luck xx