Section 24 — Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987: Entitlement of adoptive parent to extended leave

24 Entitlement of adoptive parent to extended leave (1) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, and subject to sections 25 to 30 of this Act, every employee— (a) Who assumes (with a view to adoption by that employee or by that employee and that employee's spouse or partner jointly) the care of a child who is not more than 5 years of age; and (b) Who, at the date on which that employee, with a view to adoption, first assumes the care of the child, has been for the immediately preceding 12 months in the employment of the same employer for at least an average of 10 hours a week during that period,— shall be entitled to extended leave in accordance with this Act. (2) An employee shall not be entitled to extended leave in respect of a child by virtue of subsection (1) of this section if that employee has previously taken, in respect of that child, a period of leave, being— (a) Extended leave under this Act; or (b) A period of leave in the nature of extended leave under any Act other than this Act, or any employment agreement. Subsection (1)(a) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 8 Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 18) by inserting the words “ or partner ” after the word “ spouse ” . Subsection (1)(b) was amended, as from 1 July 2002, by section 11 Parental Leave And Employment Protection (Paid Parental Leave) Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 7) by substituting the words “ for at least an average of 10 hours a week during that period ” for the words “ for at least 10 hours in each week ” . Subsection (2)(b) was amended, as from 15 May 1991, by section 3 Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Act 1991 (1991 No 28) by deleting the words “ award, agreement, or ” . Subsection (2)(b) was amended, as from 1 July 2002, by section 22 Parental Leave And Employment Protection (Paid Parental Leave) Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 7) by substituting the words “ employment agreement ” for the words “ contract of employment ” .