Giving notice of intention to take shared parental leave

SPL did not increase the total amount of leave new parents can take, it just introduced a way of sharing it. The right to take SPL is only triggered when the mother or primary adopter gives notice to cut short their statutory maternity or adoption leave. This means that the first step is always for the mother/primary adopter to give notice to end their rights.

Both statutory maternity and adoption leave can be brought to an end early (“curtailed”) either:

• by giving eight weeks’ notice of the intention to return early in the normal way (see page 327) and then returning to work as planned; or

• by giving eight weeks’ notice that the leave will end on a specified future date, if not returning.