Additional Paternity Leave and Pay

[shouldIbecrossaboutthis]

My DP is a teacher and has been with the same school for 7 years. I'm due 24th Sep.

He's been told he can take 2 weeks paternity leave paid (the minimum amount of £135ish or whatever it is) and that's it. Is that right? I thought there was a new rule where dads can get more paid time off work, 26 weeks or so?

You're right, only AFTER your first stretch of maternity leave though. As in, when you go back to work. Maternity leave is in two parts - ordinary and additional, your DP can take your additional leave (check direct.gov.uk for the details).

I looked on direct.gov and I just find it confusing; clearly I'm an idiot!

I'll be on maternity leave for only 4 months and I'm self employed if it matters. We want to take the baby to see my dad in Dubai around 3 months into the baby being born. DP wont be able to get time off school so I was hoping he could take this Additional Paternity Leave.

Sounds like I'll have to go it alone or scrap the idea though?

Looking at the direct.gov info, your DP can take additional paternity leave between 20 weeks and one year after your child is born, up to a maximum of 26 weeks.

And you would have had to be entitled to one or more of the following - Statutory Maternity Leave, Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance or Statutory Adoption Leave or Pay and have started working again so that any relevant pay has stopped.

But if you're going to Dubai when baby is about 12 weeks (3 months), your DP won't be able to take any additional paternity leave then. Ordinary paternity leave must be taken within 56 days (8 weeks) of baby's birth, so that's not an option for you either.

Thanks misslinnet, so basically you can't both be home with the baby?

What if I stop claiming Maternity Allowance @ 8 weeks but don't go back to work? Could he then claim Additional Leave from 8 weeks - 14 weeks?

He won't be able to take any additional leave until 20 weeks

Argh, I'm confused, I'm sure I wasn't this slow before I got pregnant .

So:

Ordinary paternity leave must be taken within the first 8 weeks of birth and is for 2 weeks (together) max.

Additional paternity leave can only be taken when the mum has gone back to work and must be taken between 20 weeks and 1 year and is for 26 weeks max.

So the dad is entitled no paternity anything between weeks 8 and 20?

That's right.

He could take paternal leave? It's unpaid but he is entitled to it.

Snala I think you mean parental leave?

Your DP can ask to take unpaid parental leave - The employer does have to grant the leave BUT it does not have to be at the time you plan to go abroad if there is a valid business reason he needs to be at work
www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Parentalleaveandflexibleworking/DG_10029416

Do you mean parental leave, Snala?

That's what I meant
It states it can be used to visit grandparents etc

I don't think they would give it to him, they are a bit mean like that, worth a try I guess!