Parental Leave

[Cassie201]

Q. When can Parental leave requests be refused? I am requesting parental leave to be more available for my 15 yr old son who has a disability. I have given more than six months notice to my employer. This is for a period where I have no other adult help in my home area , my nearest family member lives a few hrs away. Managing my sons diabetes is like wrestling a wild pony at the edge of a cliff, in the dark and in the wilderness. I feel this will be a time of undue stress for me (the period of the year I have requested is difficult re transition etc). However my employer has said as my child is in school, the school is responsible for him not me and they don't understand why I need parental leave. I want to be more available to get him into school, ensure he tests after school etc managing his diabetes, he is reluctant and life is tough, my parents would normally help but will be away. Can my employer refuse on this basis? From everything I've read it seems a straightforward process but my employer are asking for reason after reason and I'm not sure why? I would have thought having a child with a disability would have said it all? Advise on how to deal with this welcomed.

Parental leave cannot be refused. It can only be postponed when there is a legitimate business need to do so.

To postpone a request your employer must respond, in writing, within seven days of your request. If they respond verbally then they have not fulfilled their obligation and you have a valid argument that the request should stand. They must explain clearly why they wish to delay the leave and must suggest a new date for the leave within six months of your original requested dates. Their suggestion must be for the same length of time as your original request.

Until your child is eighteen parental leave is an entitlement. Your employer cannot take this entitlement away from you.

Sounds to me like your employer isn't aware of their obligations. It might be worth trying to politely point out that they have a duty here. There's a fact sheet on gov.uk that contains the rules and regs and I'm sure a quick Google will find this.

Hope it all works out for you.

Thanks, yes from everything I've read it seems a straight forward entitlement. However my employer have now 'granted' the leave but wanted a whole list of reasons as to why I required it! I'd like to complain about being made to feel like I've got to jump through hoops, not sure who I would complain too!