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Version status: In force | Document consolidation status: Updated to reflect all known changes
Version date: 1 April 2021 - onwards
Version 3 of 3

6. Entitlement to paternity leave

(1) Subject to this Part, an employee who is a relevant parent in relation to a child shall be entitled to 2 weeks' leave from his or her employment, to be known (and referred to in this Act) as "paternity leave", to enable him or her to provide, or assist in the provision of, care to the child or to provide support to the qualifying adopter or mother of the child, as the case may be, or both.

(2) Other than where section 12 applies, the period of leave referred to in subsection (1) shall comprise a single period of 2 weeks.

(3) Subject to subsection (4), only one person who is a relevant parent in relation to a child shall be entitled to paternity leave in respect of that child.

(4) Subsection (3) shall not operate to prevent paternity leave from being taken by a relevant parent referred to in paragraph (a) of the definition of relevant parent in section 2(1) in respect of a child by reason only that paternity leave has prior to the adoption of the child, been taken in respect of that child by a person other than that relevant parent.