Section 20Part 3 — LEAVE
Maternity leave: adoption
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A female employee who has worked for the same employer for twenty-four months without taking maternity leave or who last took maternity leave (whether on account of child birth or adoption) at least twenty-four months previously and adopts a child is entitled to adoption leave of nine calendar weeks and to receive basic pay for a period of twenty-five working days of that period of time.
Where a female employee has not completed the relevant period of twenty-four months referred to in subsection (1), she is still entitled to adoption leave but that leave and pay shall be calculated on a pro-rata basis in relation to the period of nine calendar weeks therein referred to.
A female employee who adopts a child may take adoption leave in such a way that it covers periods before and after adoption.
For the purposes of subsection (1), a female employee adopts a child when she assumes the care of the child with a view to adoption by her or by her and her spouse jointly.
Maternity leave that is unused will not accrue and is not remunerable.