How Much Paternity Leave are Parents Entitled to in Northern Ireland?

If an employee’s partner is pregnant, adopting a child or having a baby through a surrogate mother, they may be eligible for paternity leave which is extra leave on top of the employee’s statutory holiday allowance. Paternity leave should be used to support the child’s mother or to care for the baby.

Under the Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002, an employee may choose to take either one or two consecutive weeks of leave which must be taken within 56 days of the child’s birth. To be entitled to paternity leave, the employee must be continuously employed for a period of not less than 26 weeks ending with the week immediately preceding the 14th week before the