Balancing Parental Leave: How Should We Handle Paternity Leave Requests and Flexibility?

We offer 3 months of paid maternity leave to all women in our organization but have never provided any male employee with paternity leave, even when it was applicable. Currently, someone is requesting the same. According to our HR policies established in 2009, paternity leave can be up to 30 days. However, after checking some information on Google, it appears that paternity leave is typically only 15 days.

Leave Utilization Options

Additionally, is it mandatory that employees take all their leave in one continuous period, or can they split it, taking some now and the remaining days later in the financial year as needed?

Please provide your suggestions on how we should proceed. Thank you.

Paternity Leave Policy Considerations

Paternity leave is different from maternity leave. The latter is under the provisions of the Maternity Benefit Act 1961 or ESI Act, whereas the former comes under employee welfare or fringe benefits. Therefore, there are no fixed rules on the quantum or splitting of paternity leave. You may design your own policy after discussing it with your management. You may keep the following points in mind while designing the policy:

• Total number of male employees in the age group of 26-35. This age group will avail of paternity leave the most.

• Length of continuous service in the company to become eligible for paternity leave.

• Duration of leave and how many times it can be split.

• How many times a male employee can avail of this leave in a span of ____ years.

• Advance notice requirements to avail of this leave.

• Submission of certificates and other documents within ____ weeks/months after availing of this leave.

• Who will be responsible for making standby arrangements for the absence caused due to this leave.

• How the application will be routed, and who will be the final sanctioning authority.

• Other points, if any.

Thanks,

Dinesh V Divekar

Thank you for your reply, Dinesh. This can solve the majority of my current issue. I will check with my senior management about the number of leaves and terms.