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This policy sets out the entitlement to Neonatal Care Leave
Contents
Introduction
1. This policy sets out the entitlement to Neonatal Care leave and pay.
2. For the purposes of this policy, neonatal care is care of a medical or palliative kind (including end of life care), lasting for at least 7 consecutive days (not counting the day on which the neonatal care starts), starting within 28 days of the baby's birth or placement.
Scope
3. This policy applies to all UCL employees, regardless of length of service or funding source, whose baby receives at least 7 consecutive days of neonatal care following their birth (not counting the day that the neonatal care starts).
4. The employee must be the parent of a baby receiving neonatal care or the partner of the parent and must have, or expect to have, responsibility for the child's upbringing.
Entitlement and Pay
5. Employees whose baby receives at least 7 consecutive calendar days of neonatal care within 28 days of their birth or placement will be entitled to Neonatal Care leave. The leave will be equivalent to the number of working days of neonatal care received, up to a maximum of 12 weeks.
6. Neonatal Care Leave will be paid at full occupational pay, inclusive of any statutory element.
Taking Leave
7. Neonatal Care Leave must be taken within 68 weeks of the child's birth or placement.
8. Neonatal Care Leave can be taken either immediately upon the start of neonatal care by the father, mother's partner or Secondary Adopter, if they have not already commenced their Paternity/Partner's or Shared Parental leave; or it can be added to the end of an existing period of Parental leave, such as Paternity or Shared Parental Leave.
9. If the mother or Primary Adopter is not already on Maternity or Adoption leave when the baby is born, it will begin automatically a day after the birth. Any period of Neonatal Care Leave will then be added to the end of the Maternity or Adoption leave.
10. An employee should inform their line manager as soon as possible after the birth to let them know the date of birth and that there have been complications and that the baby is receiving neonatal care. If Neonatal Care Leave is to begin immediately, the line manager should be informed of this at the same time. The line manager should be informed at the start of each week that the Neonatal Care Leave continues, and at the end of Neonatal Care Leave, must confirm the full period of Neonatal Care Leave.
11. Where the Neonatal Care Leave is to be taken at the end of a period of Parental leave (such as Maternity or Adoption leave), the line manager should be informed as soon as is practicable, and prior to the end of any period of Parental leave, of how many days leave will be addded.
Approval
12. Neonatal Care Leave and Pay is an automatic entitlement, providing the criteria are met and the line manager has been informed.
13. All Neonatal Care Leave must be recorded in MyHR or Inside UCL under the Absence type "Paid Leave" with "Neonatal leave" as the Absence Reason. It may be appropriate for the line manager or other delegated individual to record the leave within the system.
Support
14. UCL recognises the emotional difficulties which arise from premature births and situations where a newborn is immediately hospitalised after birth. The Employee Assistance Programme is available for confidential 24/7 support for all staff.
15. Other types of paid and unpaid leave may also be appropriate under the Special Leave Policy.
Monitoring and Review
16. The HR Employment Policy Team will keep the monitoring and operation of this policy under review.
HR Employment Policy Team
April 2025