As a parish employer you may be required to offer Paternity Leave and Paternity Pay. These guidance notes detail what needs to be offered and when.

Key Facts

As a parish employer you are required to offer Statutory Paternity Leave of 2 weeks.

You may also be required to pay Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP).

Overview of Employer and Employee responsibilities

Eligibility for Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP)

To take SPP the man that works for you must be an employee (not a worker). If you are not clear about the status of the man that works for you, please see the Employment Status Indicator.

In addition they must:

  • Have 26 weeks continuous employment ending with the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth
  • For adoption, have 26 weeks continuous employment ending with the week in which they are notified of having been matched with a child
  • Have, or expect to have, responsibility for the child’s upbringing
  • Be the biological father of the child and/or the mother’s husband or partner (including same sex partner or civil partner)
  • One of either one or two parents jointly adopting a child or the partner of someone adopting a child
  • Not be receiving Statutory Adoption Leave and Pay
  • Be in receipt of average weekly earnings at or above the lower earnings limit for National Insurance contributions.

SPL can be taken in one block of two weeks or two blocks of one week. Current rates of SPP can be found at www.gov.uk/paternity-pay-leave.

On returning to work after SPL the employee is entitled to return to the same job as they occupied before commencing leave.

FAQs

My employee is expecting a multiple birth, what happens to their Paternity Leave?

Ordinary Leave remains at two weeks regardless of if there is a multiple birth.