Maternity Leave Policy

Rules on maternity leave change frequently, so you will want to take advantage of Legalo’s “free updates for life” policy here, with our Maternity Leave Policy template. For more details on the full advantage you get when you buy a Legalo template, click here.

Other HR Handbook documentation

See our full range of policies for your HR Handbook here. If you need individual policies, you can buy just what you need. Alternatively, if you want to buy the complete set, you can do so at a significant discount on the price of buying them individually.

Guide to our Maternity Leave Policy template

With Legalo’s maternity leave policy, you get a fantastic template. The following excerpt from the guide to the template shows you what it covers:

Policy outline

This section sets out what the purpose of the maternity leave policy is and to whom it applies.

At the end of the second paragraph of this section, check the wording in square brackets.

While in the third paragraph of this section, please note that if the policy has been approved after negotiation with a trade union, it may have become a contractual term of the employees’ contracts. In such a case, modify the template accordingly by deleting this paragraph.

Maternity leave entitlement

This section sets out how much maternity leave an employee is entitled to.

Requirements for notification

This section sets out the information a pregnant employee is to supply to her employer and when.

Commencement of maternity leave

This section sets out the earliest date a mother can normally start her maternity leave. In the case of premature birth, maternity leave starts immediately. It also sets out the rules on changing a previously-notified Intended Start Date or when maternity leave must start for premature birth or being unable to attend work for pregnancy-related reasons shortly before the Intended Start Date.

Maternity pay

The section of the maternity leave policy sets out the amount of maternity pay due, which in part depends on the length of employment before the Qualifying Week (i.e. the fifteenth week before the week that the pregnant employee expects to give birth).

The second and third paragraphs of this section set out a voluntary additional payment – “company maternity pay”. Delete this section if you do not wish to offer it. Fill it in, and adapt it as you wish, if you do want to offer it.

While you are on maternity leave

This sets out various extra provisions you need to be aware of. It should in particular be noted that, due to a change in the law, new mothers are entitled to accrue holiday leave (and holiday pay for it) during their maternity leave. In the last paragraph, fill in the details of the person or team to contact, if not the HR Team.

Keeping in touch during maternity leave

Fill in the details regarding Keeping In Touch days. In the past paragraph in this section, delete the reference to Company Maternity Pay if you are not offering this.

Returning following maternity leave

This section of the maternity leave policy sets out the details regarding the new mother’s return to work following maternity leave. It also notes the rights to return:

• to the same job if returning after only using OML, or
• to a position, possibly different, but not less favourable if also using any period of AML.

It refers to the additional right to request a change to the employee’s normal hours or other work conditions under a flexible working policy.