Underwood Carpenter Employee Handbook - Latest 02 11 16

If you have been employed for less than 26 weeks you will qualify for maternity leave, but not for
maternity pay.
SMP is paid for a maximum period of 39 weeks and is paid in the same way and at the same times
as normal salary.
Maternity pay is paid at 90% of normal earnings for the first 6 weeks of the maternity leave period
and then 33 weeks at the SMP flat rate which is reviewed in April of each year, or 90% of average
weekly earnings if this is less than the SMP rate.
If you are not entitled to SMP you may be entitled to receive Maternity Allowance which can be
claimed from The Department of Work and Pensions by completing form MA1 which is available
online.
Maternity Leave
All employees are entitled to 52 weeks’ statutory maternity leave. This comprises of 26 weeks’
ordinary maternity leave (OML), immediately followed by 26 weeks’ additional maternity leave
(AML).
The earliest date you can commence your maternity leave is 11 weeks before the expected date
of confinement (EWC), although you are not required to take any maternity leave before the birth
if you do not wish to do so. However, if you are absent from work for a pregnancy related illness
during the 4 weeks before the start of your EWC, your maternity leave will start automatically,
regardless of the date you intended to start your maternity leave.
For babies due on or after the 5th April 2015, if both you and the father/partner meet the qualifying
requirements you will be able to opt in to Shared Parental Leave, allowing you to share up to 50
weeks with the father or partner, after the initial compulsory maternity period of 2 weeks. For more
information on Shared Parental Leave, please see the section below.
Keeping in Touch Days
During your statutory maternity leave period you may carry out up to 10 days’ work without
bringing your maternity leave to an end. This can include attending training or keeping in touch
with the workplace by, for example, attending Company or team meetings.
During your statutory maternity leave period there is no obligation on the Company to provide you
with work, nor is there any requirement on you to attend work if you do not wish to do so.
Contractual Status during Maternity Leave
Whilst on maternity leave you are entitled to receive all your normal contractual benefits, such as
annual holiday entitlement, but, you are not entitled to receive your normal pay during this period.
All other terms and conditions of employment remain in force throughout the full period of
maternity leave.
If an employee wishes to return to work during or at the end of the period of ordinary maternity
leave they are entitled to return to their original job. If they return at the end of additional maternity
leave and their original job is no longer available, they will be entitled to return to a job of a similar
nature and status.
Returning to Work
If you intend to return to work at the end of your full maternity leave entitlement you are not
required to give any further notification to the Company. However, if you wish to return to work
before the end of your maternity leave, you must notify the Company in writing at least 56 days
Employee Handbook Issue Date: November 2016
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