People & Organisational Development

Adoption Pay Entitlement
The 52 weeks are split into two blocks
• Ordinary Adoption Leave (OAL) = 26 weeks
• Additional Adoption Leave (AAL) = 26 weeks

Enhanced Adoption Pay Options

Option A
9 weeks’ leave at full pay, followed by:
• 18 weeks’ leave at half pay (statutory adoption pay (SAP) or maternity allowance (MA) will also be paid at this time in addition to half pay, if eligible)
• 12 weeks’ leave at the appropriate rate of SAP or MA if eligible then:
• 13 weeks’ unpaid

Option B
18 weeks’ leave at full pay, followed by:
• 21 weeks leave at the appropriate rate of SAP or MA. if eligible then:
• 13 weeks’ unpaid

On agreement with their line manager, employees may work up to a maximum of 10 keeping in touch (KIT) days during their adoption leave period.

Public/other days continue to accrue during any period of adoption leave.

It is the responsibility of the line manager to monitor KIT days, and to record these within Manager Self Service within 5 days of the employee attending work.

Annual leave and public holidays/'other days' entitlements will continue to accrue whilst you are on adoption leave. Your accrued annual leave does not automatically get added/carry over to your balance. Therefore please contact your College/US P&OD Team to recalculate your annual leave balance.

There is no minimum service requirement for this benefit and staff are required simply to be an employee of the University at the Matching Week.

Leave must be taken from the date of the child’s placement (whether this is earlier or later than expected) or from a fixed date which can be up to 14 days before the expected date of placement.

For overseas adoption, leave can start on the day the child enters the UK or on a chosen date no later than 28 days after the child enters the UK.

The main adopter can take paid time off for up to five appointments relating to the adoption and the secondary adopter will be able to take unpaid time off for up to two appointments relating to the adoption.

It is recognised that adoptive parents may not be given much notice of the date when the adoption will take place, but adoptive parents requesting leave should give as much notice as possible to their line manager.

Employees should inform their line manager that they wish to take adoption leave within 7 days of having been notified by the adoption agency that they have been matched with a child or have received ‘official notification’ in the case of an overseas adoption.

Adoption leave should be submitted through Employee Self Service, where you will be required to state the date you expect the child to be placed with you, what scheme you wish to take (option A or B) and that you have elected to receive Adoption Pay rather than Paternity Pay in respect of the adoption.

The adoption certificate must be sent to College/University Serviced People & OD as soon as possible.

If an employee intends to return to work before the end of their full adoption leave period (i.e. 52 weeks) they must give 8 weeks’ written notice of the date on which they intend to return to their line manager (with a copy to the relevant College/University Services People & OD team). If the required notice is not given, the line manager may postpone their return until the full 8 weeks’ notice has been given.

All employees who adopt are entitled to take up to 52 week’s adoption leave, unless the placement is interrupted in any way. This is not pro-rated for part time staff and it does not require a minimum length in service.