When an employee returns to work after statutory paternity leave, by law their job and its terms must remain the same.
If they want to change how they work
An employee might want to change how they work after having a child. For example, their working hours or working from home.
They might have the right to make a flexible working request.
Time off for emergencies
By law, an employee has the right to a reasonable amount of unpaid time off to look after 'dependants' in an emergency.
This could be to help their child or partner when there's an unexpected:
- illness
- injury
- change in care arrangements
Find out more about time off for dependants
Taking more time off to be with their child
Parents have the right to 'ordinary parental leave'. This is unpaid time off work to be with their child.
Each parent can take:
- up to 18 weeks for each child up to their 18th birthday
- a maximum of 4 weeks a year for each child
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