§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what(a) leave and (b) payment entitlements employers are required to give male and female employees after they have adopted a child. [114841]
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§ Mr. Alan JohnsonThe Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations 1999 confer a right for employees who adopt a child on or after 15 December 1999 to take parental leave from work to care for the child. The right applies to any employee who has completed one year's qualifying service with his or her employer; the amount of leave provided for is thirteen weeks' leave for each parent. This has to be taken over the first five years after the child is placed with the parents for adoption.
Employees can take the leave in accordance with arrangements agreed with the employer through a workforce or collective agreement. If there is no agreement in place, the fallback scheme provided for in the Regulations applies. That provides for an employee to take up to four weeks' leave in a year. This leave can be taken at the time of the placement provided the notice provisions are followed.
The leave is unpaid. We will be encouraging employers to build on the minimum standard as part of the Government's commitment to help employees achieve a better balance between their work and the rest of their lives.