Parental Leave Request Letter

What is a parental leave request?

A parental leave request is an official document that is being sent by the employee to request a specified number of paid, unpaid or both types of leave to take care of the newborn or adopted child. Requesting parental leave in the UK is a statutory right that is guaranteed by virtue of the Employment Rights Act 1996.

A letter requesting parental leave can be sent by part-time or full-time employees, remote workers, employees on probation periods, and casual workers having employee status under the UK employment law.

Which types of parental leave are covered in this template?

This letter can be used by employees to request either of the following types of leave:

Maternity Leave

This type of leave is being regulated by both the Employment Rights Act and the Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations 1999. By virtue of such a leave, a mother of a future-born child should have the right to a minimum statutory paid leave entitlement.

Paternity Leave

This letter can also be customised to take a short paid leave to take care of the child in either of the following circumstances:

• as a father of a newly adopted child;
• as a partner of the mother of the child;
• as partner of the primary adopter.

Adoption leave

The present type of paid leave can be taken by the primary adopter of a child. The partner to a primary adopter can still apply for the paternity leave.

Parental Leave

This is a general type of unpaid leave allowing employees, including fathers, mothers or their partners, as well as immediate family members, to take care of the child. This leave is not limited to the birth or adoption only and can also be taken in case of emergency, prolonged disability or illness of the child.

Why should I use this letter requesting parental leave​?

By customising this letter template with FasterDraft, you get the following benefits:

• a letter that can be tailored for different types of leave under the UK entitlement schemes, including adoption, maternity, paternity leave, etc.;
• a letter created by qualified UK solicitors;
• a document that is fully compliant with the Employment Rights Act 1996;
• a letter that has clear structure;
• a document that is ready for immediate usage right after the purchase.

What shall this parental leave request form​ include?

The final wording of the letter depends on whether the leave is being used for a newly born or adopted child. The standard template shall include:

• Employee’s Details. The letter shall outline the full name, residential address, and current job title of the employee.
• Leave details. The document should clearly outline the planned date of the start and end of the leave, its total duration in weeks and days. On top of that, the employee should also state if the leave should be taken on a continuous basis, i.e., all at once, or in several parts. For example, an employee may wish to take one week of paid paternity leave at the beginning of March and the rest at the end of August.
• Shared Parental Pay. Should the employee wish to use a shared parental leave, the employee may be entitled to an additional share of parental pay. The eligibility for such pay is usually defined in the employer’s internal policies dealing with holidays and entitlements.
• Date & Signature. Once the letter is ready, it should be dated and signed by the employee.

How to customise this parental leave request letter​ with FasterDraft?

To get a fully customisable letter template, follow a few easy steps below:

1. Click the “Create Document” button.
2. Answer simple questions in the form.
3. Select a template’s format – PDF or ord.
4. E-sign the document.
5. Make the payment.

The letter is ready for instant download immediately after the purchase.