Giving notice of intention to take shared parental leave 


The right to take SPL is only triggered where the mother or primary adopter gives notice to cut short her statutory maternity or adoption leave (or if she does not qualify for leave, but is entitled to statutory maternity or adoption pay or maternity allowance, where she ends these rights). This means that the first step is for the mother to give notice to end these rights. 


Statutory maternity or 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 289) and then returning to work as planned; or


• by giving eight weeks’ notice to the employer that the leave is to end on a specified future date.