Adoption Leave

Introduction

Employees have a statutory right to up to 52 weeks’ adoption leave and 39 weeks’ adoption pay is available to eligible employees adopting a newly placed child. Where a couple adopts a child jointly, only one of them can take adoption leave. The couple can choose which parent takes leave; the other parent may be able to take paternity leave, parental leave, or shared parental leave. Proof of adoption must be submitted to the company at the earliest opportunity.

Key Points

• Employees are entitled to take up to 26 weeks’ ordinary adoption leave, followed by a further 26 weeks of additional adoption leave.
• Up to 39 weeks’ statutory adoption pay is also available, if eligible. If not eligible, support may be available from the employee’s local council.
• Parents adopting a child are entitled to a reasonable amount of paid time off work to attend up to 5 adoption appointments.
• The line manager and the HR Team must be notified, in writing, of an intention to take adoption leave within seven days of being notified of a match by the adoption agency.
• The employment contract continues as normal during adoption leave, with the exception of pay.
• The employee has the automatic right to return to work after his or her adoption leave. They are entitled to return to their existing role, but this will depend on whether they have taken ordinary or additional adoption leave.
• If the employee has a child placed for adoption, they may be able to convert a period of adoption leave or pay into a period of shared parental leave or pay that can be taken by either parent on a flexible basis.

Please contact the HR Team at personnel@epwin.co.uk for further information.