Paternity

You must be able to declare that
you are the baby’s biological father,
or
married to or in a civil partnership
with the mother,
or
living with the mother in
an enduring family relationship,
but
are not an immediate relative,
and
you will be responsible
for the child’s upbringing,
and
you will take time off work
to support the mother
or care for the child.

You must be continually employed
by the same employer
for at least twenty-six weeks
by the end of the fifteenth week
before the week
the baby is due.

You must then continue to be employed
by the same employer
until the date
the baby is born.

You
cannot start your paternity leave
before the child is born.
You
can choose to take one or two
whole weeks leave,
but not two separate weeks,
which must end by the fifty-sixth day
after the date of birth.
If the baby is born early
you
can choose to take your leave
any time between the actual date of birth
and the end of an eight week period
starting from the Sunday
of the week the baby
was originally due.
You
cannot take odd days off work,
but the weeks can start on any day,
for example,
from Tuesday to Monday.

You must discuss your leave plans
with your employer
and tell them what time off you want
by the fifteenth week
before the week
the baby is due.

Your employer can tell you when this is,
if you are not sure.