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Maternity

Women make up over  50% of the workforce  and it is estimated that more than 80% of women will become pregnant during their working life, Therefore, as an employer it’s likely you will need to support colleagues through the transition from pregnancy, to maternity leave, to returning to work.  Treating colleagues well during these times will mean they are more likely to return from maternity leave and indeed it’s the right thing to do! Despite the many benefits mothers bring to the workplace, many organisations still struggle to retain and develop their female talent.

As an employer, you need to comply with your legal duties towards pregnant staff and new mothers.  If this doesn’t happen, it could render you, as an employer, liable to an unlimited compensatory award at an employment tribunal.

Regardless of length of service, all pregnant employees are entitled to a year’s statutory maternity leave.  Entitlement to statutory maternity pay is limited to those with at least 26 weeks’ service into the qualifying week and average weekly earnings of at least the lower earnings limit for national insurance purposes.

Things to Consider:

• Will you stick with statutory or offer contractual enhanced maternity leave? Statutory maternity pay is payable for 39 weeks – six weeks at 90% of the employee’s average earnings, followed by the remainder at a lower flat rate.
• What provision is in place to support expectant mothers once they have notified you of their pregnancy?
• What correspondence have you drafted to them?
• Have you undertaken an appropriate risk assessment and made reasonable adjustments as necessary?
• Have you calculated their maternity pay and confirmed this to them and considered any commission/payments that may be payable during their maternity leave?
• Calculated holiday accrual during their pregnancy and agreed when it will be taken?
• Have you agreed an appropriate contact strategy whilst they are on maternity leave?
• Considered Keeping in Touch (KIT) days during maternity leave?
• How will the role be covered and whether you will need a temporary replacement or if the work can be split across different teams?
• Have you agreed a return to work plan which may include a gradual increase back to normal hours?
• When the baby arrives, send a note of congratulations !

If you need HR help and support on then get in touch.

Free Advice

Examples of help we can give:

• Review and draft your maternity policy.
• Advise on specific maternity cases.
• Calculate accrued holiday.
• Support an expectant mother.
• Undertake an appropriate risk assessment.