Splitting parental leave - how?

[artemis2]

So my workplace offers only what is required by law regarding maternity leave, while my husband's offers 20 weeks full pay for the primary caretaker.

So, obviously we'd be better off financially splitting leave and my husband taking 20 weeks. When would he have to take these? I assume if I take 30, he may then not be entitled to 20 at full pay since you can get only 39 weeks paid?

So, would I have to take 19 weeks, then he takes 20 and then I take the remaining 13 unpaid? Or could I choose to have the first 19 weeks with SMP, then no SMP for 13 weeks and then husband takes 20 weeks at full pay?

Advice much appreciated from those with experience/understanding of the law. Thank you!

You'll probably find that your husbands policy means that he would only be paid full pay during the first 20 weeks from the birth, so to take full advantage he would have to be off then. You could also be off, but it would reduce the total time you can have off (i.e. both of you taking 20 weeks off together = 40 weeks of your entitlement gone). At least that's my understanding from looking into shared parental leave. I haven't looked into the money side of who would be paid what if you're both off at the same time as we're not planning to do that.

My husband's policy allows the primary caregiver to take 20 weeks paid leave at any time from the birth until 1 year (and a secondary caregiver can become primary, though that means we can't take it at the same time). I just don't know how that affects my maternity leave and whether I'd be entitled to 39 weeks of SMP or only 19.

That sounds like a really good policy then! I suspect you'll need to find out from his employer how it's funded, whether it's made up of SMP and topped up to full pay or if it's just funded by them. My maternity pay is SMP topped up so if I give weeks over to my OH then I would lose my SMP but fingers crossed it might not be the same for you.

As I understand it, if he takes the full 20 weeks, you’ll only receive statutory pay for 19 weeks and then will have to move to unpaid.

It’s brilliant that they allow those 20 weeks to be taken in the first year. Most workplaces that have enhanced shared parental leave policies apply them from the baby’s birth, which often isn’t the most helpful.

That's very helpful! Thank you all :)