How to Apply For Adoption Leave (With Samples)

For many people, the long and tiring process of adopting a new baby can take a toll on their health. And, much like when new parents take maternity or paternity leave to take care of their newborn, it is only fair that new parents who have adopted a new child take some much-needed time away from work.

Understanding the long wait period and hardships that can come with adoption, many companies now permit their employees to take parental leaves for adoption. However, few employees know they can ask for adoption leave. So, in this article, we share with you what an adoption leave is, how to apply for adoption leaves along with some tips.

Adopting a child is one of the greatest joys in the life of many parents, but the process can be nerve-wracking.

From long waiting periods to disappointments along the way, adoptive parents face a lot of hardships as they wait to have a child they can call their own

What Is Adoption Leave?

Adoption leaves are taken by employees with their employers’ permission when they adopt (or plan to adopt) children and spend some personal time bonding with them and taking care of them.

Many companies now realize that providing adoption leave can benefit employees and employers, improving employee attrition rates and increasing productivity.

Although the Maternity Benefit Act (1961) grants 12-week leave to adoptive mothers if the child is three months old or less, the leave duration differs depending on the company.

How to Apply for Adoption Leave

The following steps will show you how you can apply for adoption leave effectively – 

Do Your Homework

The first step is determining your company’s policy on adoption leave. Companies generally provide maternity and paternity leave to new parents. However, adoption leave is still a fairly new concept in India. So, go through every document your HR made you sign when you joined the company or browse the company website to see if such a policy is in place. You can even directly go to your HR and ask them. 

Talk To Your Reporting Manager

Before sending in the adoption leave application, have a word with your reporting manager to give him a heads-up. Set up a meeting and let him know about your intentions to take some time off work to be with your adopted child. This would also be the perfect time to assure him that your work will not suffer as you plan to delegate your duties and responsibilities while you are away. 

Look For Someone Who Will Be Taking Over For You

Your work will still need to be done while you are gone. So, you need to find someone in your team or an intern who can handle your responsibilities in your absence. Let them know that should any crisis arise, they can always reach you on your cell phone. 

Add All Necessary Details In The Adoption Leave Letter

When writing the adoption leave letter or email, ensure that you add the correct dates, duration of how long you will be gone, subject line, name(s) of the employee(s) who will be taking over for you, as well as your signature and contact information. Before sending it, ensure that there are no spelling or grammatical errors. 

CC Or BCC Other Important Employees

As adoption leave can last long, ensure that you tag your team and other important figures when you send your application for adoption leave to give them a heads up. For instance, if you are sending the email to your HR, ensure that you add your reporting manager, team members, team leader, etc., in the email thread.

Adoption Leave Sample

Adoption Leave Challenges Faced By Parents In India

Anyone who has gone through adopting a new baby will tell you how challenging and time-consuming adoptions can be. People have to wait years to match with a child. Moreover, it can be particularly difficult for working professionals as it is not always easy to find time to do it all.

If you are a working professional who is planning to adopt any time soon, here are some challenges you may need to be on the lookout for:

1. Many companies in India still do not offer or even refuse to give adoption leaves to their employees. This is mainly because the legal provisions of the adoption leave policy are only applicable if the children are below a certain age. 
2. As mentioned earlier, the Maternity Benefit Act (1961) grants only 12-week leave to adoptive mothers if the child is three months old or less. While most companies follow this policy, it can still be considered unfair. Why? Regarding adoption, parents can adopt a child of any age. And be it for a newborn or a 3-year-old toddler, the adjusting period and impact are very similar.

Conclusion

Being a new parent, be it to a biological or adoptive child, can be a rewarding experience. However, the challenges that come with it cannot be ignored. Especially when it comes to adoptive children, there has to be ample time to adjust for the new family to find solid ground. 

So, we hope this article on adoption leave and the steps to write adoption leave and sample helps you write a compelling and effective one.