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Original poster

Shared parental leave - partner new job

23 replies

MarvEll · 21/09/2022 07:24

Hi everyone. We're trying for a baby and trying to work out shared parental leave / pay options... would really appreciate some insight if anyone knows
Partner is so miserable at work and currently applying for jobs, but he has a long notice period
So he's started a new temporary part time job this month, but that will probably finish by January
Then he's hoping to get a new full time job with a start date of January most likely (just awaiting confirmation)
Does this mean that even tho he's been in constant employment, if I were to get pregnant in the next couple of months, he wouldn't qualify for any parental leave / pay after his initial 2 weeks?
I hate this system where partners can't always get to be with their babies! Are we better off waiting a while to TTC so he can have the leave, or are there other options for partner leave? He's 40 next year and I'm not far behind him, so age is becoming a factor
Thanks for your help!!

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mightbeyesmightbeno · 21/09/2022 07:34

Hi, are you talking about paternity leave (normally the 2 weeks after baby is born)? Or the shared parental leave where you can take a year between the two of you? So for example he was to have 3 months off and you have 9 months off?

Threelittlelambs · 21/09/2022 07:37

I wouldn’t base getting pregnant on shared paternity leave! Babies are here for a long time!

Whatafielddayfortheheat · 21/09/2022 07:38

You can find out everything about paternity leave and pay on www.gov.uk/paternity-pay-leave/eligibility

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MarmaRell78 · 21/09/2022 07:38

@mightbeyesmightbeno shared parental leave. I think either way he'll get the stat pat 2 weeks immediately after, it's the leave / pay we can share between us that I'm wondering about

@Threelittlelambs 🤣 true!

Whatafielddayfortheheat · 21/09/2022 07:40

Even the two weeks is not automatic OP, he will need to have worked there for a particular amount of time.

Twizbe · 21/09/2022 07:41

If he's miserable he needs to change jobs.

I did it twice while TTC and then got lucky falling pregnant on my 1 year anniversary with a job.

While shared parental leave is a great idea in theory, I resent women having to give up their leave for it.

I refused point blank to share my leave for DC1. It was my leave.

I offered it for DC2 as I knew I wasn't returning to work but DH declined because his boss at the time was a dick.

mightbeyesmightbeno · 21/09/2022 07:42

It will be completely dependent on his new contract then, and what the contract says. My husband had the opportunity for parental leave and could take up to 6 months full pay, but he needed to have been in the job for a year or 18 months (can't remember) if he wanted the pay. He'd have been able to have taken shared parental leave without pay if he'd been doing it for less.

If your husband is changing jobs within the same company, but having a new contract then it will be a question for HR if he has continuous service or not, as it sounds like he's on a temporary contract hoping for permanent in new job? In which case probably not.

Twizbe · 21/09/2022 07:42

Whatafielddayfortheheat · 21/09/2022 07:40

Even the two weeks is not automatic OP, he will need to have worked there for a particular amount of time.

In my experience though, most big companies still give it as its only 2 weeks.

mightbeyesmightbeno · 21/09/2022 07:46

@MarvEll and also it is very rare for companies to give enhanced pay for shared parental leave, so unless you already know the job he is hoping to start in January offers this, I would just be assuming that he may be able to take leave but without pay.

Until he has a contract nothing is in stone, so I wouldn't wait if you're keen to TTC because you may be waiting a long time!

Hastingsontheup · 21/09/2022 07:48

Twizbe · 21/09/2022 07:41

If he's miserable he needs to change jobs.

I did it twice while TTC and then got lucky falling pregnant on my 1 year anniversary with a job.

While shared parental leave is a great idea in theory, I resent women having to give up their leave for it.

I refused point blank to share my leave for DC1. It was my leave.

I offered it for DC2 as I knew I wasn't returning to work but DH declined because his boss at the time was a dick.

It's a pity it's considered "the woman's leave" when there are so many benefits of the shared model for everybody. I personally advocate a Scandi model of ,non transferable "Daddy months".

To the OP I think you just need to look carefully at the policies of both your employers once you are pregnant TTC can take a while especially if you are both late '30's.

OverTheHillAndDownTotherSide · 21/09/2022 07:49

So much crap on this thread.

He will be entitled to 2 weeks paternity leave but to get statutory paternity pay he needs to have been in the company just before you got pregnant.

Same for paid shared parental leave which is a statutory right.

It’s the same basis as paid maternity pay.

Companies can go over and above this but tend to have the same eligibility criteria.

Whatafielddayfortheheat · 21/09/2022 07:51

OverTheHillAndDownTotherSide · 21/09/2022 07:49

So much crap on this thread.

He will be entitled to 2 weeks paternity leave but to get statutory paternity pay he needs to have been in the company just before you got pregnant.

Same for paid shared parental leave which is a statutory right.

It’s the same basis as paid maternity pay.

Companies can go over and above this but tend to have the same eligibility criteria.

You are not correct. See screen grab.

MarmaRell78 · 21/09/2022 07:54

Thank you everyone this is really helpful. Yeah I think it's best to just crack on and if he can take it, that's a bonus. As neither the job, not being pregnant is actually certain yet. He absolutely needs to move jobs, he's so unhappy.
So do you know if he's entitled to take unpaid leave, if he's not been with the new company long enough?
He'll be changing employers between this temporary job and the hopeful new one, so not continued service at the same place.
It just seems an unreasonable penalty to have worked continuously since uni until you're 40 and then not qualify to spend more than two weeks with your baby. What a system 🤷‍♀️

Twizbe · 21/09/2022 07:55

@Hastingsontheup I'd absolutely love for there to be longer paternity leave. Both parents being able to have a year off to care for children would redress the imbalance, help massively with childcare costs and likely retain women in the workplace.

But, let's be honest here, if men wanted that, they'd have it already. Most CEOs are men. We've had two male PMs become fathers during their terms of office ... it's not like men don't have a big voice at the decision making table.

MarmaRell78 · 21/09/2022 07:56

Without knowing anything about finding it, I don't understand why we can have a year each for both partners that can be taken in 6 month blocks, either together or separately. Would be so much better, especially given the cost of childcare and preschools not taking them until they're 2

Hastingsontheup · 21/09/2022 07:56

Whatafielddayfortheheat · 21/09/2022 07:51

You are not correct. See screen grab.

Show quote history

I think OP is talking about shared parental leave.

MarmaRell78 · 21/09/2022 07:57

@Twizbe oh cross post, but yes what a point. I hadn't really looked at it in those terms, but yes you're so right. Of course they would have done it, if they'd actually wanted it

MarmaRell78 · 21/09/2022 07:58

@Hastingsontheup @Whatafielddayfortheheat yes talking about shared parental leave - beyond the standard two weeks

Whatafielddayfortheheat · 21/09/2022 07:58

She was, but she was saying that her partner would get the 2 weeks leave as a given - and the poster who said there was crap on the thread, actually posted more misinformation, and I wanted to clear it up, because I didn't want OP expecting the two weeks as a minimum and then getting a nasty shock.

Whatafielddayfortheheat · 21/09/2022 08:02

And to answer your final question OP, no he won't be statutorily entitled to two weeks unless he meets the criteria I posted above- but as a PP says the company may offer it anyway, he needs to ask this before he takes a job.

DreadingWinter · 21/09/2022 08:07

What a different world. When I had my babies the father didn't get any time off at all and we all managed fine. Women also had to be back at work after six weeks and there was no child benefit for the first child, only the second and subsequent children.

DC was born late on Thursday. Ex went to work on Friday. We came home on Saturday and he went to work on Monday. I was a FTM and FBF and didn't need any help from him or anyone else.

gogohmm · 21/09/2022 08:40

@DreadingWinter

Same here, with my second I had a newborn and an autistic toddler alone after 48 hours... just the way it was we got on with it. I would not have given up my maternity leave anyway!

Original poster

MarvEll · 21/09/2022 16:30

@DreadingWinter @gogohmm yeah great, I'm not saying I'm not going to "get on with it", but progress is ok, don't you think? 😳

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