Am I entitled to return to the same job after taking paternity leave for adoption?

You are entitled to return to the same job that you were employed in before you went on leave, and benefit from the same conditions as if you had never been on leave. This is the case if you took the paternity leave on its own and no other leave, or linked it with other statutory leave such as annual leave.

However you may choose to link it with, for example, a period of parental leave of more than four weeks. If this is the case then your employer may be able to argue that the job you were in before you went on this leave is no longer available or it is not reasonably practicable for you to return to that job.

In such a case, they have to offer you a job that is suitable and appropriate for you with no less favourable terms and conditions as the job you were in before you went on leave. If you 'unreasonably refuse' this job, then you cannot claim unfair dismissal as you will have effectively resigned from the post.