When you become pregnant you may start to worry about work and how much maternity leave you will take. It is important to know your rights before you speak to your employer so you know what you are entitled to!
Over the past decade working parents have been given improved rights to paid and unpaid time off, so that they can spend more time with their children. New flexible working rights have also helped parents better balance their work and family responsibilities.
All pregnant employees are entitled to reasonable paid time off for ante-natal care and are protected from suffering any discrimination, such as being dismissed or refused a promotion, because of their pregnancy.
All employed new mothers are entitled to 52 weeks’ maternity leave.
If you have 26 weeks’ service with your employer by the 15th week before the baby is due, then you are entitled to statutory maternity pay (SMP), which is set at 90% of your earnings for the first six weeks, and then at £123.06 for the remaining 33 weeks. If you do not qualify for SMP, you may be entitled to Maternity Allowance, which is usually £123.06 for 39 weeks.
You must give your employer 28 days’ notice of the date you want your maternity leave to begin.
Fathers are entitled to two weeks’ paid paternity leave, paid at £123.06 a week, if they have at least 26 weeks’ service with their employer by the 15th week before the baby is due. Expectant fathers should tell their employer about taking paternity leave by the 15th week before the baby is due.
Returning to work
It is helpful to tell your employer as soon as you can when you intend to return to work. If you are planning to return earlier than 52 weeks, you need to give a minimum of eight weeks’ notice.
The government have recently introduced “keeping in touch” (KiT) days. These allow you to work for up to 10 days during the maternity period without breaking the terms of your maternity leave and losing your right to maternity pay. They are not obligatory, but many mothers and employers find they help with managing people’s return to work. There is no statutory entitlement to be paid for KiT days, so check with your employer to see if they will pay you or allow you to take paid time off at a later date before agreeing to work.
In addition to paid leave, parents are able to take up to 13 weeks’ unpaid parental leave before their child’s fifth birthday. If you are the parent of a disabled child, you are entitled to 18 weeks’ leave before the child’s 18th birthday.
European trade unions and employers have just reached an agreement which will extend unpaid parental leave to four months. The agreement is likely to be implemented into EU law in 2010 and will eventually become part of UK law.
For more detailed information please take a look at the direct gov site. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/index.htm
