What rights do fathers have to paternity leave at present?
A Fathers who qualify for paternity leave can take either one or two weeks’ paid leave within 56 days after the child’s birth. To qualify, the father must have 26 weeks’ continuous service with his employer by the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth (EWC). Paternity leave is paid at the same rate as the flat rate of statutory maternity pay (SMP), ie, the lower of either £112.75 a week or 90% of pay. Q What will change when the new proposals become law? A There will be a new right to additional paternity leave (APL) and additional paternity pay (APP), which will allow a father “to be absent from work on leave for the purpose of caring for the child” when the mother has returned to work from maternity leave. APL will be in addition to the current two-week paternity leave entitlement, which in future will be called ordinary paternity leave (OPL). Civil partners and members of adopting couples will be able to benefit from the new right. APL will be a minimum of two weeks and a
