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 qualifies for statutory maternity or adoption pay or maternity allowance but not leave, where she ends these rights). This means that the first step is for the mother to give notice to end her 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 320) 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.