Maternity and adoption leave
Annual leave and Bank Holidays
Employees on maternity and adoption leave continue to accrue annual leave entitlement. They also get a compensatory day (7.4 hours) for each Bank Holiday during their leave. For part-time employees, this is the number of bank holidays they would have had if not on leave. Employees can:
- take these days upon their return to work
- or, arrange to take them before they start their leave
Employees must get agreement from their manager to:
- take annual leave before their maternity or adoption leave starts
- take annual leave at the end of their maternity or adoption leave before returning to work
Employees can carry forward accrued annual leave from one leave year to another. However, this is only if it has not been possible to take due to maternity or adoption leave.
Rights on and after return to work
After maternity or adoption leave, employees are entitled to:
- return to the same job
- a role with equivalent pay and terms and conditions
An employee who works full-time before maternity leave has no automatic right to:
- work on a part-time basis
- make other changes to her working pattern
However, we will consider all requests for part-time work or other flexible working arrangements. For more information, read our flexible working policy.
Employees at risk of redundancy whilst on maternity or adoption leave, are entitled to be offered a suitable alternative vacancy where one exists. There is no need to compete for a role, although they can ask for an exploratory meeting. The purpose of this is to find out more about the role.
This right is subject to the employee notifying their manager of their intention to return.
Employees on maternity or adoption leave will not suffer a detriment. We will not treat them unfairly for exercising their right to take leave.
Employees resigning during adoption or maternity leave
An employee on maternity or adoption leave may decide that they do not want to come back. If so, they should write to their manager to formally resign as per the terms of their contract.
If their notice period expires after their leave has ended, we expect the employee to:
- return to work for the remainder of their notice period
- or, use annual leave, if available
Contact during maternity leave or adoption leave
Managers will discuss arrangements to keep in touch with employees during their leave period.
Contact should be minimal and respect privacy during adoption or maternity leave. However, it can be helpful to maintain contact with the employee so that they continue to feel part of the team. It also provides an opportunity to discuss:
- changes within the organisation, such as a restructure
- the employee’s plans to return to work
- any special arrangements to be made or training to be given to ease their return to work
- developments at work during their absence
Keeping in Touch (KIT) days
Keeping in Touch (KIT) days are optional. They are agreed between the employee and their manager. They do not extend the period of maternity or adoption leave.
KIT days let employees work for up to 10 days during their maternity or adoption leave period without:
- bringing the period of maternity or adoption leave to an end
- the loss of a week’s statutory maternity or adoption pay as a result of carrying out that work
Employees may choose to work only a few hours on each occasion. However, the hours worked will count as 'days' under the scheme.
We will pay employees their standard rate of pay for the actual hours they work on a KIT day. When combined with entitlement to maternity pay, this may exceed the standard daily rate of pay. If this happens, we will offset it against the pay the employee would otherwise be entitled to.
Managers must complete the KIT day form so that appropriate payment can be arranged. The form should be sent to payroll.
As an alternative to pay for the hours worked on a KIT day, an employee may opt for Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) instead. They must take this within 12 months of returning from maternity or adoption leave.
For these purposes, ‘work’ can include training or any other agreed activity to support the employee's return to work. This could include attending conferences, appraisals or team meetings.
The opportunity to work KIT days will apply to the entire period of ordinary and additional maternity or adoption leave. However, during the first two weeks after childbirth, employees are not allowed to work.
Employees are responsible for any childcare costs arising from working on KIT days.
Pension
If an employee is a member of a relevant pension scheme, we automatically deduct contributions from their maternity or adoption pay. We will continue to pay pension contributions whether or not they receive any pay during the ordinary maternity pay period. We will base these on what they would have been earning had they been working normally.
No contributions will be payable by either the employer or employee during any period of no pay in the additional maternity leave period.
Employees can make contributions to cover periods of maternity or adoption leave when they are not receiving pay. They must confirm this in writing no later than:
- 30 days after their return to work
- or, the date confirming their wish to end their employment
The rate of contributions will be the rate applying immediately before their pay ceased.
Childcare voucher scheme
Some employees were members of our Childcare Voucher scheme, provided by Sodexo, before 5 October 2018. They may remain in the scheme or rejoin it as long as there has not been a break of more than 12 months.
Otherwise, employees may choose to join the Government's Tax Free Childcare Scheme.