When you take time off because your partner is having a baby, or you are adopting a child or having a baby through surrogacy, you may be eligible for paternity leave (sometimes also referred to as partner's leave). Since 2015, you can also apply for paternity leave and pay if you meet the eligibility criteria and intend to apply for a Parental Order under the Human Embryology and Fertilisation Act 2008.
As of 1 January 2023, LSE has removed the qualifying period for staff to request paternity/partner's leave. What's more, the period of paternity/partner's leave which staff can take has increased from 2 to 4 weeks.
'Partner' could be a child's biological father or it could refer to the partner of the mother (or adopter). This could be a spouse, civil partner, or a partner who is living in an enduring relationship with a mother and child.
What is the process for requesting and taking paternity/partner's leave?
As a result of the changes to entitlements since 1 January 2023, the process for requesting and taking paternity/partner's leave has changed a little. Increasing the entitlement for paternity/partner's leave means that staff will be able to take more time away from work to be with their baby. To help this process run as smoothly as possible, just follow the steps below - contact your HR Adviser if you're unsure about any of this.
1. Once you know that you'd like to request paternity/partner's leave, download and complete the Paternity Leave Notification Form, including the block(s) of time that you'd like to take off.
Click to download the Paternity Leave Notification Form
2. Send the completed form to your line manager at least 28 days before of when you would like your leave to start. If you're a Head of Department, you should send the completed form to the Pro-Director, Faculty Development. Your manager will complete their parts of the form and will forward to HR.
3. You should also complete the SC3 form and return it to your HR Adviser. You may also be asked to send a copy of the birth certificate to HR. If, instead, you are adopting, you should send a completed SC4 form - or SC5 form if it's an overseas adoption.
4. Once approved, HR will write to you to confirm the dates of your paternity/partner's leave.