maternity rights and top tips...maternity rights and top tips maternity leave and the associated...

MaternityRightsandTopTipsMaternityleaveandtheassociatedissuesareoftenasourceofconcernforsalonownersandemployees.InthisarticleIwillclarifythelawregardingmaternityandhopefullyofferafewusefultips.

MaternityLeave

Employeesareentitledto52weeksmaternityleavemadeupofasfollows:

• 6weeksat90%ofpayorSMPratewhicheveristhegreater• 33weeksSMP(£145.18fromApril2018)-• 13weeksunpaid

Thematernityleavecanbegin11weekspriortotheexpectedweekofconfinement.

Employeeswhoearnlessthan£116arenotentitledtoSMPandclaimmaternityallowance.Thegoodnewsisthatyoucanrecoverthe39weeksSMPyoupay

RecoveryofSMP

92%ofSMPpaidcanberecoveredbydeductionfromthemonthlyPAYEpayments.

Employersmay qualify for Small Employers’ Relief (SER). SER is 100% of SMP plus4.5%

WhatHappensTheemployeemustgiveyouaMATB1formbeforetheendofthe25thweekofpregnancyYoushouldundertakeariskassessmentwiththeemployeeassoonastheyaremadeawareofthepregnancyandreviewitonamonthlybasis.Typicaladjustmentsincluderelaxationofuniformrules,moreshortbreaksbetweenclientsandadjustmentsofhours.

Butthekeyissueisthattheriskassessmentisundertakenwiththeemployee—it’sasharedexerciseTheemployeegetspaidleaveforantenatalappointments;theemployercanasktoseetheappointmentcardforthefirstappointment.Thepaidleaveisnon-negotiable,Parttimeemployeesdon’thavetohavetheappointmentsontheirdaysoffanditincludestraveltimeDidYouKnow

• Pregnantemployeescansharetheirmaternityleave(well50ofthe532weeks,withtheirpartner

• Prospectivedadsarenowallowedpaidleavetoattend2antenatalappointments

• InanyeventDadsget2weekspaternityleavepaidatthesamerateasSMP• Mumsonmaternityleavecanworkandbepaidforupto10dayswhilston

maternityleave-thesearecalledKITdays—keepintouchdays

WhendotheyEmployeesReturnToWork?Theemployeecansimplyreturntoworkafter52weeks,however,iftheywanttoreturnpriortothisdatetheymustgivetheemployer8weeks’notice.Theemployeehasthelegalrighttorequestareturnonaparttimebasis.Youmustconsidertherequestandtrytoaccommodateit,howeverthereareanumberofbusinessrelatedreasons,whichcanresultinhavingtodeclinetherequest.Itisreallyabouthavinganopenconversationwiththeemployeetonegotiateanagreement,whichsuitsboththeemployeeandtheemployer.Anemployerwhosimplysays“no”runstheriskofanexpensivesettlementattribunalastheemployeecanclaimsexdiscrimination(onlywomancanbepregnant).

TopTip

Anotherissueisthattheemployeeoftenwantstoworkforalongaspossiblebeforethebirthasmoreoftheirpostdeliverymaternityleaveisthenpaid.Insomeinstances,thiscanbeaproblemassicknessandtirednesscanbecomeanissue.Anysicknessinthe4weekspriortothedeliverydateautomaticallytriggersthestartofthematernityleave.However,theemployeewillaccrueleavethroughouttheirMaternityleave,theygetthiswhethertheyreturnornot.Youcouldoffertheemployeetheopportunitytotakethisinadvanceandthentheymaytagtheleaveonbeforethematernityleaveandwehaveamutuallybeneficialoutcome

For more information and advice on other Employment Law issues follow this link http://www.davidwrightpersonnel.co.uk