Paternity Leave and Dependents Leave

[Ruth21]

My union is in the process of negotiating policies on paternity leave and dependents leave and I was hoping some of you could give me examples of good employment policies that we could use to improve things around here.

They (management) are proposing that new fathers get 1 week at full pay + 1 week at SMP levels if they have 1 years service, and 1 week at SMP levels if they have less than 1 years service.

They also propose that people with dependents can get 2 days paid leave for children's (etc) illnesses in any one year.

These policies don't seem very generous to me, especially the latter, but I'd be interested in what others think and what other employers do.

Also, do your employers have policies that allow new parents who are not fathers to take 'paternity leave'? For instance when my dp had dd I took time off as annual leave, and didn't try to take advantage of paternity leave provisions--was on a temporary contract then and didn't want to rock the boat. But what should such leave be called? Paternity obviously not appropriate ... new parents' leave? New babies' leave ...?

KeepingMum ? I don't think the Parental Leave entitlement is aimed at things like chickenpox ? that's Dependents' Care Leave. However, whatever you call it, it's still unpaid, so may not be much help to a lot of us!

That's what I mean, I don't really know when you would use it. The only thing that would be useful to me would be able to take time off during school holidays etc, but this is only available for children under 5. Its little bit like all the tax breaks and things that they introduce but then never advertise and are then surprised when they get little take up.I bet they don't mind the money they save though. (Has everyone applied for their Child Tax Credit?)

Some of the rules for the Child Tax Credit seem a bit weird at first reading - it's based upon your 2001/2 income levels, but for other elements (like the extra "new baby" credit) it's for this year 2003/4. So if you were working in 2001/2, but having a baby in 2003/4 and hence no longer working, or on maternity leave, you could not actually get the credit, despite your income this year suggesting you'd be entitled to it. I guess I may have got this wrong, as I've not seen the anomoly discussed anywhere else - but that's the way it reads from the IR info.

By the way, the link to find out if you'd qualify, and to apply online is here

I'd just like to add a word in defence of parental leave - it has enabled my dh to argue for reduced working hours, which he is taking in effect instead of parental leave. He was able to argue that if he didn't work part time, he would be taking his parental leave in full, and so the company would be losing his time anyway. So I think its worth having even though it is unpaid.

Elliott, thats a very good use of it, does any one know if you get 13 weeks for each child or is it a one off for your first? presumably if you can get it for each you could work out quite a nice career break (obviously unpaid) without losing your continuity of employment

No, I think it's just 13 weeks altogether up until your youngest child is 6 ? and many companies limit the amount you can take in any one year to 4 weeks, as mine does. Several mums I know are planning to take it to settle their child into school and another mum took 4 weeks when she was changing her childcare arrangements. I think it's generally a good thing, even though not paid, as it allows a bit of flexibility.

Keepingmum: When you take paternity/parental leave when a baby is born you only have to give 3 weeks notice of the expected ate of birth, you then take the leave from the actual birth. In all other cases, yes you have to give notice of when you are taking it.

Parental leave is designed so parents can spend more time with thier children.

Rosie: Parental leave is 13 weeks per child to be taken before the childs 5th birthday. Both parents can take 13 weeks leave each but you must have worked for your employer for 1 year before taking leave. Your employer can defer your leave for up to 6 months, except when it taken for the birth of a child.

The website I mentioned before has full details on it its www.dti.gov.uk/er/intguid1.htm

My employer provides for up to 10 days sick leave for staff and states explicitly that this can be used to care for sick children.
5 days paternity leave seems to be generous for many firms although I don know of some that will pay for up to 6 weeks but not if the mother is at home!
In the case of maternity leave my stingy employer will only pay lump sum incentives to encourage nem Mums to return to work - no support while on maternity leave at all.

Thanks, Julie F ? you obviously know what you're talking about. That's really helpful.
I think one of the big problems with this kind of extra leave, as this thread shows, is how few of us seem to be being given proper, comprehensible information by our employers. I think a lot of people feel in the dark and don't want to rock the boat by appearing to ask for something unreasonably.

keepingmum, the website julief gave outlines the 'bare minimum' deal that you are entitled to with respect to parental leave - i.e. up to 4 weeks off per year, in week-long blocks, with certain amounts of notice and employer entitlement to defer it etc. There is nothing to stop employers having more flexible policies for taking the leave - such as taking it in the form of reduced hours, or taking the whole 13 weeks off in a block - but they are not legally obliged to do this.

keepingmum - my colleague with twins is allowed 2x the parental leave - I think she's using it to reduce her hours (partly) so it's easier to go back to full time later.

Ruth21

Oops - your post made me double-check our entitlement - it's actually up to three days paid at any one time to care for dependents - anything above this has to be either unpaid or annual leave. But there is no limit on the of times ina year you can do this.

Handbook for clerical staff says:

Paid Leave for Special Circumstances
Funerals: of Partner or Child, Parent, Brother, Sister or in-laws or other relative -3 days with pay
Illness: of persons stated above - period of up to 3 days with pay at discretion of University
Examinations: relevant to appointment - days of examinations with pay
Household removal: 3 days with pay
Public Service: Staff who are appointed to a national or local body by a Government department or a Local Authority shall receive special consideration for such leave, paid or otherwise, as is necessary for the proper carrying out of their duties.
Paternity: Staff may be granted up to three days special leave with pay if they take at least the same number of days of Annual Leave.
Special leave may be granted at the discretion of the University

Interestingly the Handbook for Academic Related staff says the same as above but includes childcare problems as a valid reason for being off work!

Don't want to disclose my employer but happy for Tech to tell you my email (which will give the game away!). It's a pre-92 university in the South East anyway.

Hope this helps!

A partner now gets upto 2 weeks paternity leave, you must take the two weeks in concession and not one week now one week later. You get paid 90% of your weekly pay or £100 which ever is greater. You have to write and give the exct time you wish to have off and by law you are entitled to it, your employer can't say no.