How to Apply for Paternity Leave
Read your employee handbook., Review collective bargaining contracts., Craft your own plan., Discuss other options with your employer.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Read your employee handbook.
See if your company policies include the option of taking paternity leave.
Keep in mind that if your employer offers any kind of maternity leave for new mothers, it is required by law to offer comparable paternity leave for new fathers.Employers must offer “parental” leave, not “maternity” or “paternity” leave.
Benefits that are only available for use by one gender can give rise to discrimination lawsuits.Generally, if employers make medical leave available to other employees they must have some similar benefit available for pregnancies.Some private employers are offering paid parental leave to mothers and fathers.
For example, Google provides eight weeks of paid leave, while Facebook provides 17 weeks paid. -
Step 2: Review collective bargaining contracts.
If you work in a unionized workplace, then you will have a collective bargaining agreement that governs your employment.
Oftentimes collective bargaining agreements have certain family leave provisions which encompass paternity-related leave. , Use your available sick, vacation, and other leave to create your own block of time off.
Federal law requires employers to allow employees to use any accrued personal leave or vacation time as parental leave, as long as they follow any other requirements of the employer’s employee benefits policy.If you plan on using any accrued leave, you must follow the notice requirements of your employer’s policy.For example, suppose you have 80 hours of accrued vacation time you want to use.
Your employer requires at least one week notice to use any accrued vacation time, but requires an additional five weeks’ notice if you plan to use more than 40 hours.
In this scenario, you would have to give your employer six weeks’ notice if you wanted to use all 80 hours you’d accrued.
Using available time you’ve accrued in conjunction with unpaid FMLA leave allows you to continue to have some income while you take time off to spend with your new child. , It may be possible to combine all the various paid and unpaid leave available with a flextime arrangement that allows you to spend maximum time with your new baby while also ensuring your employer isn’t too inconvenienced by your extended absence.
Maintaining a presence at work also keeps you in good standing for possible promotions or advancement later on. -
Step 3: Craft your own plan.
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Step 4: Discuss other options with your employer.
Detailed Guide
See if your company policies include the option of taking paternity leave.
Keep in mind that if your employer offers any kind of maternity leave for new mothers, it is required by law to offer comparable paternity leave for new fathers.Employers must offer “parental” leave, not “maternity” or “paternity” leave.
Benefits that are only available for use by one gender can give rise to discrimination lawsuits.Generally, if employers make medical leave available to other employees they must have some similar benefit available for pregnancies.Some private employers are offering paid parental leave to mothers and fathers.
For example, Google provides eight weeks of paid leave, while Facebook provides 17 weeks paid.
If you work in a unionized workplace, then you will have a collective bargaining agreement that governs your employment.
Oftentimes collective bargaining agreements have certain family leave provisions which encompass paternity-related leave. , Use your available sick, vacation, and other leave to create your own block of time off.
Federal law requires employers to allow employees to use any accrued personal leave or vacation time as parental leave, as long as they follow any other requirements of the employer’s employee benefits policy.If you plan on using any accrued leave, you must follow the notice requirements of your employer’s policy.For example, suppose you have 80 hours of accrued vacation time you want to use.
Your employer requires at least one week notice to use any accrued vacation time, but requires an additional five weeks’ notice if you plan to use more than 40 hours.
In this scenario, you would have to give your employer six weeks’ notice if you wanted to use all 80 hours you’d accrued.
Using available time you’ve accrued in conjunction with unpaid FMLA leave allows you to continue to have some income while you take time off to spend with your new child. , It may be possible to combine all the various paid and unpaid leave available with a flextime arrangement that allows you to spend maximum time with your new baby while also ensuring your employer isn’t too inconvenienced by your extended absence.
Maintaining a presence at work also keeps you in good standing for possible promotions or advancement later on.
About the Author
Donna Griffin
Committed to making pet care accessible and understandable for everyone.
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