anita665

I was just wondering whether fathers are allowed any time off in the UK when their baby is born if they haven't been with the employer for very long? I've been trying to look it up but it's very confusing.

Layla

Jase had 2 weeks of paternaty, the first week was full pay, the second week was half pay, im not sure if thats the same everywhere or not, coz his bosses are really good, they paid him a full weeks pay when Adam was ill too

x

Abbys_Mummy

Hmm in australia men are allowed paternity leave up to a year unpaid

Jules

Depends on what the company policy is, my OH has recently changed jobs and his new boss has been great and is paying him two weeks full pay. At his old firm they would only pay Statutory paternity pay which is the same as for us £112.

Jules

This is from the directgov website:

To qualify for paternity pay and leave you must be an ‘employee’. If you are a ‘worker’ you will not qualify for leave but may qualify for pay. If you are unsure if you are a ‘worker’ or an ‘employee’ read the article below.

Are you a 'worker', 'employee' or 'self-employed'?
You can take statutory paternity leave if you:

are an employee, with a contract of employment (most agency workers and sub contractors don't have the right to paid paternity leave) and
are the biological father of the child, or are the mother's husband or partner (including a mother's partner in a same-sex relationship) and
have been with your employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the beginning of the week when the baby's due and
will be fully involved in the child's upbringing and are taking the time off to support the mother or care for the baby.
and this leave is paid if you:

earn at least the lower earnings limit (LEL) for National Insurance contributions.
If you earn less than the LEL, (currently £87 a week), you have the right to unpaid paternity leave if you meet the other conditions, and could get Income Support while on paternity leave.