Maternity Benefits Guide - Hampshire County Council

10 Other maternity related absences
10.1 Health and well-being care
If you have appointments, made on the advice of a
registered medical practitioner, registered midwife or
registered health visitor, to attend a clinic or any other
place for ante-natal care (e.g. a hospital, a doctor’s
surgery or health centre) you have a statutory entitlement
to paid time off to attend. This entitlement is regardless
of length of service or number of hours worked per week.
Ante-natal care is not restricted to medical examinations,
for example it could include, relaxation classes and
parent craft classes as long as these are advised by a
registered medical practitioner, registered midwife or
registered health visitor.
You must inform your line manager when you will require
time off for ante-natal care, and, if asked by your line
manager, you must produce your appointment card or
some other document showing that an appointment has
been made.
10.2 Annual leave
Annual leave entitlements still accrue during a
period of maternity leave and should wherever
possible be taken during the annual leave year to
which it applies (e.g. before maternity leave
commences). In exceptional circumstances where
this is not possible, or if you are employed less than
52 weeks/year, please discuss further with your line
manager
10.3 Sickness and maternity
You are not entitled to receive sick pay and maternity pay
for the same period.
Sickness before commencement of maternity leave
During pregnancy, and up to the 4 th week before the
expected week of childbirth, if you are incapable of work
due to illness before commencing your maternity leave
you are entitled to sick pay in accordance with the
provisions of your conditions of service.
If you are certified medically unfit to remain at work after
the 11 th week before your expected week of childbirth you
may choose either to take sick leave or to commence your
maternity leave.
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