Changes to the rules affecting Pregnancy and Maternity.
Changes to the rules affecting
working during pregnancy, maternity leave, maternity
pay, and return to work -
where babies are due on or after 1st April 2007 :
Changes to the maternity and adoption rules mean that more workers will be
entitled
to take additional leave. But while the regulations become law on
1st October, they
only apply to children born or adopted on or after 1st April
2007.
The most significant of the regulations will be :
The removal of the length of service condition for women to qualify for
ADDITIONAL MATERNITY LEAVE.
At present all female employees have the legal right to 26 weeks ordinary
maternity
leave. Employees who have been with their current employer for
at least six months
can have a further 26 weeks (unpaid).
ALL employees whose babies are born on or after 1st April 2007 will now qualify
for
a years maternity leave.
Statutory Maternity Pay.
The work and families act will also extend the period of Statutory
Maternity Pay from
the current 26 weeks to 39 weeks from the 1st April 2007,
meaning that those who
qualify for SMP will receive it for 9 of the 12 months
leave that they are entitled to.
Parents who adopt a child after 1st April will benefit from similar changes to
the SAP (Statutory Adoption Pay).
'Keeping In Touch' Days.
Keeping In Touch' days will be introduced. These will allow
employees to work for up
to 10 days during the maternity/adoption leave (without
extending the leave).
This work can allow for training or any other activity to 'keep in touch'.
The 10 days will
form part of leave and not extension to leave.
Importantly, employees will retain the right to receive SMP or SAP for
these days.