I have a male employee who has asked for a period of additional paternity leave beginning in March 2012, but our current Parental Leave Policy only makes provision for 2 weeks statutory paternity leave. How do I handle it?


Amanda Magee writes:

Since the implementation of the Additional Paternity Leave Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (the Regulations), which apply in relation to children due or placed for adoption on or after 3 April 2011, fathers or other eligible employees have the benefit of up to 26 weeks of additional paternity leave over and above the two weeks statutory paternity leave previously available, if the child’s mother or adopter returns to work without exercising their full entitlement to maternity or adoption leave.