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Maternity Leave: Entitlements
Maternity Leave
All pregnant employees are entitled to take up to 52 weeks maternity leave, but in any effect, it is mandatory that the first two weeks after the birth are taken as maternity leave.
For employees who hold a dual contract and request maternity leave, it will be assumed that the periods of leave requested will apply to both roles simultaneously. Requests outside of this will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and should be discussed with HR and On-Call Support.
Maternity Pay
Rest assured; maternity pay is 47 weeks full pay for all employees who meet the eligibility criteria.
If you have at least 12 months continuous service at the beginning of the 11th week before the week in which your baby is due, you will be entitled to HFRS’s contractual maternity pay which is paid at a higher rate than the Government’s Statutory Maternity Pay scheme, this comprises of 47 weeks at full pay which is inclusive of Statutory Maternity Pay if eligible. You then have the option to take weeks 48 – 52 as unpaid maternity leave or you may choose to end your maternity leave after the paid period of 47 weeks’ and request your annual leave commences immediately after (see section 11 below). The HR team will advise you of your entitlement once you have submitted a MATB1 form.
For those employees under the National Joint Council for Local Government Services (Green Book); if you have less than 12 months’ service, you may be entitled to pay under the Government’s Statutory Maternity Pay Scheme (SMP). It is a two-tiered scheme with two rates of Statutory Maternity Pay, the higher rate, paid for 6 weeks and the lower rate paid for the following 33 weeks, making a total of 39 weeks.
Also following your maternity leave please note that as a qualifying condition for entitlement to Contractual Maternity Pay, you must return to work for a minimum period of three months. If you do not return to work for this minimum period, you will be required to refund the contractual part of your maternity pay.
Time off for Antenatal Care
You have the right to reasonable time off work, with pay, to attend antenatal appointments. This applies to all pregnant women regardless of length of service or hours worked. You must provide supporting documents for all appointments to your line manager.
Keeping in Touch (KIT) Days
You are entitled to a maximum of 10 Keeping in Touch (KIT) days to enable you and the Service to keep in touch with one another, without affecting leave or payment entitlements. For more information, please refer to the KIT section of the policy.
The Right to Return to Work
After maternity leave, you have the right to return to the same job you held before your leave, with the same terms and conditions. If you take more than 26 weeks of maternity leave (known as Additional Maternity Leave), and it’s not reasonably practicable for you to return to the same role, you are entitled to return to a suitable alternative role with similar terms and responsibilities. We are committed to supporting a smooth and positive return and encourage early conversations with your manager or HR to plan your return effectively.
The Right to Request Flexible Working
As you prepare to return to work following maternity leave, you have the right to request flexible working arrangements to help balance your work and family responsibilities. This may include changes to your working hours, schedule, or location. We are committed to considering all requests fairly and in line with our flexible working policy. To explore your options, please speak with your line manager or contact HR as early as possible to begin the conversation.