maternity leave and pay

Are you a Mum-to-Be and in work? From 1st October 2006 the law covering maternity pay and leave has changed. All mothers who are employees and whose babies are due on or after 1st April 2007 will be entitled to take Ordinary and Additional Maternity Leave. Statutory Maternity Pay will be extended to 39 weeks.

This section covers the basic (sometimes called statutory) rights that employers must provide for new mothers who work for them. Your employer may offer better rights than the legal minimum and you need to check your contract of employment, your staff handbook, or perhaps a special leaflet that the personnel department may provide in larger organisations to find out your entitlement with your current employer.

• What time off work am I entitled to in relation to maternity?  more...
• I am expecting a child. What are my employment rights?  more...
• What is Ordinary Maternity Leave?  more...
• When can I take maternity leave?  more...
• What is Additional Maternity Leave (AML)?  more...
• Do I have to take maternity leave, even if I don’t want to?  more...
• What notice do I need to give if I want to take maternity leave?  more...
• Once I’m on maternity leave, do I have to let my employer know that I’m returning to work?  more...
• Will I have the same job when I return from maternity leave?  more...
• Can I work flexible hours when I return from maternity leave?  more...
• Am I entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)?  more...
• How much can I expect in Statutory Maternity Pay?  more...
• My employer says I’m not eligible for maternity pay as I’m a worker rather than an employee. Is this right?  more...
• I’m not entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay. Are there any other benefits I’m entitled to instead?  more...
• I’ve been sacked because I’m pregnant. What can I do?  more...
• What happens if I am sick during pregnancy, maternity leave, or when I was supposed to return to work?  more...
• Can I take time off work to attend antenatal classes?   more...
• I want to carry on breastfeeding my baby for as long as possible. What rights do I have which will help me to do this?  more...
• What happens to my Statutory Maternity Pay if my job ends?  more...
• Do I have to repay my maternity pay if I don't go back to work?  more...
• I work part-time. Are my maternity rights different from full-time workers?  more...
• If I go for a job interview, do I have to tell them that I'm pregnant?  more...
• My maternity leave is about to finish and I am pregnant again. What are my rights?  more...
• My contract of employment does not make clear my entitlement to maternity leave and maternity pay. What should I do?  more...
• I've got two part time jobs. Do I get maternity pay for both?  more...
• I am already on maternity leave. Am I allowed to change the date that I will return to work?  more...
• I've heard that maternity leave rules are changing. Is that right?  more...
• Can I do any work for my employer while on maternity leave?  more...

further information

Maternity rights are complicated, as everyone’s situation is different so you may need further advice than that which is offered in these questions. You can visit our free help page for general advice and help organisations, but here are some organisations you can go to for further help:

Maternity Alliance (advice to pregnant women and new parents) - 020 7490 7638 E: info@maternityalliance.org.uk - www.maternityalliance.org.uk

Working Families(advice for parents, trade unions and employers on balancing work and family life) - 020 7253 7243 www.workingfamilies.org.uk

Health and Safety Executive (advice on pregnancy/maternity and health and safety) - Infoline provides acces to the HSE's health and safety information, and access to expert advice and guidance. 08701 545 500 (8am-6pm) hseinformationservices@natbrit.com

Equal Opportunities Commission (advice and support on sex discrimination and maternity/parental rights legislation) – 08456 015 901 - www.eoc.org.uk

Inland Revenue (tax credits) – For calls in England, Wales, Scotland: 0845 300 3900 (8am-8pm) For calls in Northern Ireland 0845 603 2000 (8am-8pm) www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk (see also Tax Credits - your questions answered)

Benefits Agency (your local office will be in the phone book) This information is available from the Department of Work and Pensions- www.dwp.gov.uk

workSMART Know Your Rights

Download our Know Your Rights leaflet on maternity leave and pay as a .pdf file

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