(1) Subject to subsection (2), a relevant parent who is entitled to, or is on, parent's leave may, if the child in connection with whose birth or adoption he or she is entitled to, or is on, the leave concerned (in this section referred to as "the child") is hospitalised, request in writing (or cause a written request to be submitted to) his or her employer to postpone the leave or part of it as may be appropriate.

(2) An employer who receives a request under subsection (1) may agree to postpone the leave concerned and, if the employer does so -

(a) the relevant parent concerned shall continue to work or, as the case may be, shall return to work on a date agreed by him or her and the employer that is not later than the date on which the leave concerned is due to end in accordance with the relevant notification given by the relevant parent to the employer,

(b) the leave concerned shall be postponed with effect from the date agreed under paragraph (a),

(c) the relevant parent concerned shall, subject to subsections (4) and (5), be entitled to the leave concerned or part of it, as the case may be, not taken by him or her by reason of the postponement (in this section referred to as "postponed leave"), and