Shared parental leave - are my understandings correct?

[Thewindybaby]

I’d like to donate the final three weeks of my 52 weeks’ leave, to DH. He’d like to use them in three different week long blocks, while I’m off at the same time. That’s okay isn’t it?

Is it right that when I send the letter to my work to say I want to bring forward my return to work date, I only have one chance to do it, as the letter is “binding?” So let’s say we later decide that actually we’d like DH to have a fourth week from me, we wouldn’t be able to do that?

Also, I know DH can submit three notices of leave. If he submits the three planned weeks as separate notices (thus using up all his ‘notices), his work must approve his dates. But if he submits the three weeks all on one ‘notice’ then his work may refuse to approve the dates, is that right?

You can ‘donate’ three weeks. At the start of that first week your leave converts from maternity to shared, so check that you’ve used all your occupational pay entitlement by that point.

you can be off together

you need to give eight weeks notice of return to work I think, so it isn’t that it’s ‘binding’ as such but you need to ensure there’s enough notice and of course work might get frustrated if it changes regularly.

you’re right about the separate notice to take blocks

Oh no, the first week would be when I’m still receiving enhanced (full) pay - would I lose it for that week?

@Thewindybaby I think you misunderstand. What you do is opt now to stop Maternity Leave at the end of Week 38 and move to ShPL, Your DH then gets the 3 weeks unpaid ShPL and can take them at any point, even when you are on SML getting SMP plus OMP.