Parental leave - do you use this statutory right? If yes what do you use it for?

[anotherdayinhell]

Hi All,
Just being nosey really - do you use your parental leave right with your employer? If so what kind of things do you use it for? I predominantly use mine to take my kids to medical appointments (both disabled) however I was wondering what others use it for - care for children during school holidays? To spend time with your children?

Currently my employer is trying to put me through a disciplinary due to using parental leave which is illegal so I am going through the process of tribunal at the moment, employer is 100% trying to force me out!!

I've only ever used in emergencies so when DS2 broke his arm and DS4 was admitted to hospital due to infection. Appointments etc I book time off. DS4 sees 3 different consultants but I tend to put time owing in or make it up at the end of the day as generally these are planned.

I used it to look after my child who didn't have an sen school place and all we had was LA tutors for 3 hours a week. I was already part time, my employer let me take 1 day a week as parental leave. Dh did the same.

It’s meant to be taken in 1 week blocks with the timing agreed with the employer.

You can’t be going to tribunal before a disciplinary is concluded. What are the grounds for the disciplinary?

(HR person and parent.)

I don't think I've used parental leave ... I take emergency annual leave for the kids if needed.
We both took a planned weeks unpaid parental leave to add to a fortnight's leave for a 3 week holiday.
I've debated using planned unpaid parental leave to cover a week or so of the 6 weeks as with 3 kids in holiday club I wasn't really losing out financially. Didn't actually do it though.

I did leave a job under a bit of a cloud due to discrimination when I had time off to support my disabled child. Agreed to a redundancy package instead but I'd used annual leave not parental leave, and the issue was more me being passed over for promotion and not paid same as colleagues.
Sounds like you may have a case OP but my understanding is emergency leave for dependents and parental leave are different.

Yes I take 2 weeks every summer.

To cover something I need to do - if child is too sick to go to or childcare, or if child has a medical appointment. I wouldn't be using it for normal childcare or to spend time with the child, but I guess you could up to the 18 weeks.

I don't think I've used parental leave ... I take emergency annual leave for the kids if needed.
We both took a planned weeks unpaid parental leave to add to a fortnight's leave for a 3 week holiday.

so you have taken parental leave then.

I've not used the parental leave that you take in week blocks agreed with employer as I think this is unpaid but I have used an odd day of dependants leave for the kids being sick I think we get 3 or 5 days a year and it's paid. A colleagues wife took parental leave this summer holidays as unpaid leave was less of a financial hit than childcare for 4 kids.

It doesn't have to be taken in one week blocks if the child is disabled.

Yes, I usually take 2 weeks a year to help cover summer holidays.

I don’t think people are talking about the same kind of leave in these comments.

Statutory leave is unpaid, taken in week blocks (unless your child is disabled in which case you can take days). Employers have to agree it, but they can require that you change the timing. It is not for emergencies etc as you legally have to give 21 days notice (though an employer could waive this). You get 18 weeks total per child.

It’s meant to be taken in 1 week blocks with the timing agreed with the employer

This.

My employer offers one week emergency (paid) parental/carer leave each year - that can be taken adhoc as it's for emergencies.

The statutory unpaid parental leave that everyone's entitled to can't be used like this though. It's one week blocks and your employer is able to decline a certain week and offer a different week if business needs dictate.

@ItTook9Years
Hi!
Because my children are disabled it allows me legally to take 1 day blocks instead of weekly blocks.
Disciplinary will be concluded shortly, The mediation case will start in approx 2 weeks and if unsuccessful, it will go to tribunal after that. My grievance is in regards to my employer using parental leave absences to my detriment including them in my absence figures to make them appear higher and including them in total figures.
Thanks!

@TeamPlaying exactly that - yes!

Parental leave can't be taken as random emergency days off. It must be agreed ahead of time with your employer and can not be taken in week blocks (although if your child has Sen/dla, can't remember the exacts, you can use it a day at a time). It's unpaid

Any other type of parental leave is different and likely to be work policy or emergency leave rather than what op is referring too.

Unless your child is disabled.

It still has to be agreed and presumably 21 notice still.

Oops, I meant it must be taken in week blocks not can't be.

I have used it to take an extended break with my children in the summer holidays.

I've used it once. I was actually contemplating using some more earlier as one of my children is having a difficult time MH wise atm,

I haven't yet, but DH and I are planning to take some in a few years so we can do a long trip in the summer with the kids.

I haven't used it but I'm blessed with a very flexible job and sufficient childcare locally (paid, not family) that I haven't needed to. I might use it over the summer some year.

Mine has to be in 1 week blocks. I have used mine for summer holidays and the school settling on period. You're allowed to use it to just spend time with your kids.

I'm taking some this half-term. Apparently I've been the first person in my company to ever request this, in a company with around 100 employees. We get 22 days annual leave.

Not going to bother with any statutory appeal then. Interesting approach.

I missed that your children are disabled. Sorry. That must be tough.

I use Parental Leave (unpaid, planned 21+ days in advance, one/two week blocks because children don't have disabilities so can't use individual days) to help cover school holidays.

I use four weeks per year normally. You can use four weeks per child per year, but then it would run out too fast! Using four weeks per year will enable me to take 4 weeks per year until my youngest is 18 (I have a lot of kids).

This year I took 2 weeks in august (also took annual leave) and will take 2 weeks at Christmas.

I have to name a single child for each period of leave, but obviously that doesn't stop you spending time with all your kids that week.

Taking 4 weeks per year and I work the equivalent of a 9 day fortnight. I try to save a bit of my salary each month to compensate in the months I take 1 or 2 weeks unpaid.