Paternity leave and payroll: notice, five days, forty weeks and birth evidence

Before you start

Eligible male employees can take five days within the statutory window from four weeks before expected delivery to fourteen weeks beginning on actual delivery, together or separately. Check continuous-contract and notification requirements. Leave pay separately requires at least forty weeks under a continuous contract immediately before the relevant leave day and timely required evidence, normally a birth certificate naming the employee as father. The daily statutory rate is four-fifths of the relevant twelve-month average daily wages, subject to the guide's calculation rules. Dividing the current monthly salary by thirty is not a complete statutory calculation.

What to do, step by step

1. Notify the employer early about the expected birth and intended leave. Check the rules for giving three months' advance notice or, where that was not given, at least five days' notice of actual leave dates.
2. Record each leave day and check the statutory window and continuous service. List any extra full-pay contractual benefit separately so an employer's enhanced policy is not confused with the statutory minimum.
3. Provide the required birth evidence and retain the submission date and acknowledgement. Ask the Labour Department about an unusual document situation rather than substituting an unsupported declaration for pay evidence.
4. Review the average-wage period, applicable payday and actual payment for each block or separate day. Ask payroll to explain a discrepancy using dates and figures instead of only comparing the month's total pay.

Costs, timing, and things to check

Separate leave dates can have different reference periods and rates. Where employment is shorter than twelve months, use the shorter applicable period and the statutory disregarding provisions.

Birth evidence has a statutory time limit, with a cessation-related period as well. Check it promptly instead of waiting until every leave day is taken or until the end of the year.

A practical example

A father takes one day in March and four days in May and supplies the birth certificate in April. Payroll checks service before each relevant day, the applicable average wages and the payment timing after evidence is supplied. The five days need not all be paid in a single month at one assumed rate. Keep the March acknowledgement and April evidence receipt alongside the May leave record.