Paternity and co-parent leave procedure

1. Purpose and Scope

1.1 This procedure sets out guidance for employees who are entitled to paternity / co-parent leave and pay. You should read it alongside our paternity / co-parent policy,  which sets out both Ordinary (statutory) and Occupational paternity/co‑parent leave and pay available to RoS employees who meet the eligibility criteria.

1.2 RoS recognises that, from time to time, employees may have questions or concerns relating to their paternity / co-parent rights. It is RoS’ policy to encourage open discussion with employees to ensure that questions and problems can be resolved as quickly as possible.

2. Paternity / co-parent leave and pay

Ordinary, statutory paternity / co-parent leave and pay

2.1 Ordinary (statutory paternity / co-parent leave provides employees with 2 weeks leave as a day one right.

2.2 Occupational paternity / co-parent leave provides employees with an additional 2 weeks leave from day one of employment.

2.3 Both Ordinary (statutory) and Occupational paternity / co-parent leave must be taken in either 1 week or 1,2,3 or 4 consecutive weeks.

2.4 Employees may be entitled to both Ordinary (statutory) and RoS’ Occupational paternity / co-parent pay if they have 26 weeks' continuous service by the end of the 15th week before the week in which their child is expected. In respect of an adopted child, employees must have 26 weeks' continuous service by the week in which they are notified of having been matched with their child for adoption. This means that employees will receive full pay for the time that they are on paternity / co-parent leave (both during the period of Ordinary (statutory) and Occupational).

2.5 If an employee does not meet the qualifying criteria for ordinary (statutory) or occupational paternity/coparent pay, RoS will provide the employee with the relevant form so that they can make a claim directly through Jobcentre Plus in line with government guidance.

2.6 Ordinary (Statutory) and Occupational paternity / co-parent pay is treated as earnings and is therefore subject to tax and national insurance deductions.

2.7 Ordinary Statutory paternity / co-parent pay can start from any day of the week in accordance with the date the employee starts paternity / co-parent leave.

3. Time off for antenatal or adoption appointments

3.1 Employees are eligible to take paid time off to attend up to three antenatal or adoption appointments.

4. Notification of ordinary paternity leave

4.1 Where employees wish to request ordinary paternity / co-parent leave, they must give their line manager 28 days (4 weeks) written notice of:

• the date on which your child is due to be born or adopted
• the length of ordinary paternity / co-parent leave you wish to take
• the date on which you wish the leave to commence.

You also need to complete an application for paternity / co-parent leave form.

4.2 If employees are adopting and are the parent who is opting for paternity / co-parent leave they must give written notice of their intention to take ordinary paternity / co-parent leave no later than seven days after the date on which notification of the match with their child was given by the adoption agency.

4.3 The notice must specify:

• the date your child is expected to be placed with the employee
• the date the employee intends to start ordinary paternity / co-parent leave
• the length of the intended ordinary paternity / co-parent leave period
• the date on which the employee was notified of having been matched with the child.

4.4 To allow for the changes in legislation (Employment Rights Act 2025 – April 2026), from 18 February 2026 until 25 July 2026, some employees will not need to give the usual 15 weeks notice of their baby’s due date.

Employees do not need to give 15 weeks notice if both of the following apply:

• their baby is due between 5 April 2026 and 25 July 2026
• they have been employed for less than 26 weeks up to any day in the 15th week before the baby is due.

4.5 Employees need to use the first two weeks of paternity / co-parent leave within 52 weeks from the date of their child’s birth or adoption placement.

4.6 In the event the child is born early, employees need to use the first two weeks of paternity / co-parent leave within 52 weeks from the first day of the expected week of childbirth.

4.7 If employees subsequently wish to change the timing of their ordinary paternity / co-parent leave, they must give 28 days' written notice of the new dates.

5. Approval and review

5.1 This policy will be reviewed and approved by the Strategic People Authority (SPA) every 24 months, unless earlier review is appropriate.