Statutory Adoption Pay and Leave: employer guide

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Refusing pay or leave

Statutory Adoption Leave

You cannot refuse adoption leave or change the amount of leave employees want to take off.

For adoption, you can delay the start date if the employee does not have a reasonable excuse for giving you the wrong amount of notice. To delay it, write to them within 28 days of their leave request.

Statutory Adoption Pay

You can refuse Statutory Adoption Pay if the employee does not qualify.

To refuse it, give the employee form SAP1 within 7 days of your decision. They must get this form within 28 days of their request for Statutory Adoption Pay or the date they were matched with the child (whichever is earlier).