Parental leave
Ordinary Parental Leave is a statutory right to take time off work on an unpaid basis to look after your child, or make arrangements for the child's welfare.
It is available to all employees who have, or expect to have legal parental responsibility for a child. In order to be eligible, this means they must be named on one of the following:
- the child's birth or adoption certificate
- a parental order for surrogacy
- a legal guardianship
The University may ask the employee to produce evidence of parenthood or parental responsibility. This could be in the form of, for example, a full birth certificate, adoption papers or a document certifying that the child has been awarded disability living allowance.
Unpaid Parental Leave Allowance
Eligible employees may take up to 4 additional weeks unpaid leave a year to care for their children. One week of parental leave is equal to the individual's contracted hours of work, for example, an employee who works Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, a week's leave is equal to three days.
In total each parent may take up to 18 weeks leave for each child during the first 18 years of the child's life.
Leave should be taken in blocks of a week (minimum one week, maximum four weeks in any one calendar year), however if your child has been awarded disability living allowance then you may take leave in single days.
Applying For Leave
If you would like to apply, please discuss this with your line manager and obtain written approval for your request via email.
Employees must then complete a Request Unpaid Parental Leave - Connect application form and upload the approval email.
Usually you will be expected to give at least 21 calendar days' notice.
Further information