LAST UPDATED JULY 2024

This policy sets out your rights and responsibilities if you are pregnant or have recently given birth and gives details of the arrangements for antenatal care, pregnancy related illness, maternity leave and maternity pay.

If you qualify for maternity leave, but you and your partner wish to share all or part of your time off work to care for your baby, you may be entitled to do so (even if your partner does not work for us). This is called “shared parental leave”. We will need to discuss with you whether you and your partner are eligible to take this leave. Further information can be found in our Shared Parental Leave Policy or by speaking to your manager.

The following definitions are used in this policy:

• ‘Expected week of childbirth’ (EWC) means the week, starting on a Sunday, during which your doctor or midwife expects you to give birth (stated on the MATB1 form).
• ‘Qualifying week’ means the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth.

TELLING US YOU ARE PREGNANT

On becoming pregnant, please notify your manager as soon as you feel comfortable. This is important as the agency is required to carry out a risk assessment to assess the workplace risks to you when you are pregnant (or have given birth within the last 6 months or are still breastfeeding).

In any case, no later than 15th week before the baby is due (i.e. at the end of the qualifying week), you must inform your manager in writing of:

• The fact that you are pregnant;
• Your expected week of childbirth (EWC) and;
• The date on which you intend to start your maternity leave (the earliest you can commence your maternity leave is 11 weeks prior to your EWC).

If you wish to change the start date of your maternity leave, you are required to give the agency at least 28 days’ notice before the original start date requested, or 28 days before the new start date, whichever is the earlier.

There are certain circumstances when, regardless of your notification, your maternity leave will commence automatically. This will happen if:

• You give birth prematurely. In this case, your maternity leave will commence on the date of birth.
• You are absent from work either wholly or partly related to the pregnancy after the beginning of the fourth week before your expected week of childbirth. In this case, you must inform your manager immediately and your maternity leave will start automatically the next day.

As soon as your doctor or midwife provides you with a MATB1 certificate, you must give this to your manager.

RISK ASSESSMENT