Paternity leave - how did your employer react?

kettlefish

My DH asked about this when I was still pregnant - his company (large FTSE 100 employer) would have happily let him take the remainder of my maternity leave, but I do expect it would have put back any promotions and things - simply because he'd have missed out on 6 months experience in his current job by being at home with the little one. Circumstances changed for us anyway, and he didn't take the extended leave. If he had have done, I'd have made sure he joined the union so he would have had some back up just in case it rubbed people up the wrong way

I think that if we'd have done it, he'd have only got the £128 ish MA from the government up until the 9 months (I didn't qualify for mat pay), but I'm not sure how this works in other cases or if the bloke's employer have to pay him, and I know this will be a concern for you (rightly or wrongly, as I know it is just what you are entitled to do)

A friend of ours who is quite high up in management says when this law was brought in it caused a massive pain in the bum for the men's employers as traditionally it has never been something they have taken into consideration when hiring male staff, but she did say that most companies are keen to be family-friendly and wouldn't want to "punish" a bloke for taking the leave, as settled family men for want of a better phrase are an asset to most businesses as they put down roots in the area and are less likely to move to a different employer.

kettlefish

Oh and I don't think the leave can be chopped and changed - once mum returns to work, her maternity leave is over and she can't go back on maternity leave for that child. The father can't start his additional paternity leave until the child is 20 wks old, but it can be taken until child is 1 year provided the mum has gone to work (if child 9 months+ I think it would be unpaid, as 9 months is when all mat PAY entitlements end, but I'm not 100% on this)

Gigglepig

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

Any employer can refuse leave if business needs dictate the employee is required to work.

My understanding is that maternity leave and paternity leave are legal rights, so the employer could not refuse those types of leave (including the additional paternity leave).

Gra76 wrote: »

As for extended paternity leave - I was point blank told I couldn't have it as our company is relatively small and they needed me back. I don't see that it would be as much of a problem in a large company.

I am sorry to hear this. After the law changed the company should not be able to refuse APL as long as dad meets the employment criteria and give the correct notice (8 weeks). However, if they are not willing I can see why it would create issues down the line to force it.

Gordon_Hose

Gigglepig wrote: »

My understanding is that maternity leave and paternity leave are legal rights, so the employer could not refuse those types of leave (including the additional paternity leave).

My comment was aimed at Gra76 who said his employer refused normal annual leave in addition to the 2 weeks paternity leave he had taken.

rachbc

I don't have an answer to this at all as the law wasn't in place hwen it woudl have affected us. Does the man get the maternity package that a woman in his company would get - ie enhanced company maternity pay if relevant or just the stautory pay?

Gigglepig

rachbc wrote: »

I don't have an answer to this at all as the law wasn't in place hwen it woudl have affected us. Does the man get the maternity package that a woman in his company would get - ie enhanced company maternity pay if relevant or just the stautory pay?

I am asking myself the same question. It doesn't seem fair if the enhanced pay is offered only to female employees. But I it may be irrelevant in most companies because they only offer enhanced pay for x weeks and sadly couples are not allowed to split the leave the way they like. I.e. the man cannot take the first 20 weeks.

Less traditional couples may also miss out on several weeks unpaid leave if dad starts leave at 20 weeks, since 20 weeks + the 26 weeks max that dad can take doesn't equal 52 weeks statutory maternity leave

Person_one

Gigglepig wrote: »

I guess everyone has different strategies in life, for us this matters :-)

As a female, I am pretty sure that having a child can and probably will impact my career and pay to some extent, if I keep taking a year off it adds up. For my career it may possibly help if we split childcare 50-50%.

However, for us as a family we don't want to split childcare 50-50% if it is highly likely to impact his career. This is why we are asking about dads' experiences with the additional paternity leave.

I don't understand, why does his career get higher priority than yours? You clearly care about yours too...

Lovelyjoolz

As an employer, I have never been asked for extended paternity leave, even though all my employees are fathers at least once. We currently have one employee who is due to become a father this autumn, but he won't be taking more than a week paternity mainly because they can't afford to live on £128 per week, especially as his wife doesn't work. Who can? It must be very hard, especially when new babies (I imagine) cost a blumming fortune!

Person_one

Lovelyjoolz wrote: »

As an employer, I have never been asked for extended paternity leave, even though all my employees are fathers at least once. We currently have one employee who is due to become a father this autumn, but he won't be taking more than a week paternity mainly because they can't afford to live on £128 per week, especially as his wife doesn't work. Who can? It must be very hard, especially when new babies (I imagine) cost a blumming fortune!

Why don't you pay him a bit more than the bare legal minimum then? That would be nice of you, rather than 'grinning' at their financial misfortune!

[Deleted User]

Lovelyjoolz wrote: »

As an employer, I have never been asked for extended paternity leave, even though all my employees are fathers at least once. We currently have one employee who is due to become a father this autumn, but he won't be taking more than a week paternity mainly because they can't afford to live on £128 per week, especially as his wife doesn't work. Who can? It must be very hard, especially when new babies (I imagine) cost a blumming fortune!

My previous employer would pay 1 week full salary, 1 week statuary. Plus, holiday time is paid at normal wage, isn't it? I think I only took a drop of three or four hundred pounds to get 4 weeks off