Paternity Leave - What you need to know
As has been much publicised in the news of late, paternity leave is just around the corner.
We’ve summed up the key facts to help employers get their head around the new legislation:
- From 1 September two weeks paid paternity leave will be available in Ireland.
- The leave will be available to new fathers, partners in same sex marriages, as well as self-employed workers.
- Parents may request to take the leave at any time within 26 weeks of the child’s birth / placement for adoption.
Payment
- Paternity leave will be paid at the same rate as statutory maternity pay, currently set at €230 per week. In order to be eligible to receive this payment certain PRSI criteria must be met.
- As with maternity pay, there is no obligation on employers to make any top up payments for paternity leave. However, employers who already top-up maternity pay, will, from an equality perspective, need to consider offering a similar scheme for those on paternity leave.
Employees Requesting Paternity Leave
- Employees wishing to take paternity leave must give 4 weeks written notice.
- Employers should also request written medical confirmation on the baby’s due date, or date of birth if the application is received once the baby has been born.
- The employee should present you with a PB2 form to sign, similar to a MB10 form for maternity.
What employers need to do
- Introduce or review any existing paternity leave policy. A good policy will include details on how an employee should request paternity leave and details of payments during paternity leave. A clear policy will ensure both management and employees know the entitlements and how paternity leave should be managed.
- Employers should take this opportunity to review all family friendly policies, including maternity, adoption, and parental leave policies, to ensure they are up-to-date and consistent.
Bright Contracts will be releasing a new Paternity Leave policy at the end of the month to coincide with the legislation coming into force.
We will also be holding a FREE webinar on Paternity Leave and Family Friendly Policies on 27 September. For further information click here.
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