Negotiating checklist on paternity leave

Reps can aim to negotiate:

• an increase beyond the statutory two weeks, with no service requirement and maximum flexibility around when the leave can be taken;

• paid time off for all antenatal appointments and care;

• the availability of APL to those whose partner is not in work at the time of the birth/adoption, or whose partner’s job has become genuinely unavailable (through redundancy or reorganisation, for example) during the maternity/adoption leave period;

• flexibility in APL, so that parents can have time off together or for overlapping periods if they wish at any time in the child’s first 12 months;

• as much of the leave period as possible to be paid at 100% or a high proportion of the employee’s earnings;

• special extended leave in cases of premature or disabled babies or multiple-birth babies, partners with postnatal depression, or partners who die or are seriously incapacitated within the first year of the child’s life;

• availability to cover those adopting children and all recognised partners, including female ones and other nominated carers.