Stokers A5 Handbook Policies APR24

MATERNITY LEAVE POLICY

INTRODUCTION This policy outlines the statutory rights and

• That the employee is pregnant; • The date of the EWC; and • The date on which the employee would like to start her maternity leave (“Intended Start Date”). The employee must also provide Stokers with a certificate from her doctor or midwife (usually on a MAT B1 form) confirming the Expected Week of Childbirth. pregnancy, it will carry out a risk assessment. Stokers will take such steps as necessary to avoid any risks identified which may affect the employee’s health and safety as a new or expectant mother. This may involve: • Changing working conditions or hours of work; • Offering suitable alternative work on terms and conditions that are the same or not substantially less favourable; or • Suspension from duties, which will be on full pay unless the employee has unreasonably refused suitable alternative work. Risk Assessment Once Stokers has been notified of the employee’s However, periods of pregnancy-related sickness absence from the start of the employee’s pregnancy until the end of maternity leave will be recorded separately from other sickness records and will be disregarded by Stokers in any future employment-related decisions. If the employee is absent for a pregnancy-related reason during the 4 weeks before the EWC, the employee’s maternity leave will usually start automatically. Antenatal Care Pregnant employees may take reasonable paid time off during working hours for antenatal care. The employee should try to give Stokers as much notice as possible of the appointment. Stokers may ask the employee to provide the following: • A certificate from the employee’s doctor, midwife or health visitor stating that the employee is pregnant; and • An appointment card for the antenatal care. Sickness Absence Periods of pregnancy-related sickness absence shall be paid in the same manner as any other sickness absence and in accordance with the employee’s contract of employment.

responsibilities of employees of Stokers who are pregnant or have recently given birth. It also sets out the arrangements for antenatal care, pregnancy-related sickness, health and safety, and maternity leave. POLICY Managers have a specific responsibility to ensure the fair application of this policy and all employees are responsible for supporting colleagues and ensuring its success. This policy does not apply to agency workers, consultants or self-employed contractors. This is a policy document and therefore does not form part of any employee’s contract of employment. Stokers may amend this policy at any time.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES The following are terms relevant to, and used throughout, this policy:

• Expected Week of Childbirth or EWC: this is the week, starting on a Sunday, in which the employee’s doctor or midwife expects the employee to give birth. • Qualifying Week: this is the fifteenth week before the EWC.

Employees are entitled to take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, which is divided into:

• Ordinary maternity leave of 26 weeks (“OML”); and • Additional maternity leave of a further 26 weeks immediately following OML (“AML”). OML and AML will be available provided employees comply with the notification requirements set out in this policy. After the first 2 weeks of maternity leave (which are compulsory), employees may be entitled to take shared parental leave in accordance with Stokers’ Shared Parental Leave Policy. Notification Employees should inform Stokers as soon as possible that they are pregnant. This is important as there may be health and safety considerations that need to be taken into account. Before the end of the Qualifying Week, or as soon as possible afterwards, the employee must confirm to Stokers in writing:

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