TEMPLATE LETTER MATERNITY ENTITLEMENTS Dear Thank you for informing us of your pregnancy and congratulations on your news. I am writing to confirm your entitlements under the Organisations’s Maternity policy and your responsibilities. 1) Expected date of childbirth (EDC) and MAT B1 You must provide your Line Manager with your MAT B1 form confirming this as soon as it is available and complete the attached form. (The MAT B1 form will be provided to you by your Doctor or midwife usually about 20 weeks into your pregnancy). 2) Statutory Maternity Leave You are entitled to up to 52 weeks continuous maternity leave (inclusive of ante, post-natal leave, ordinary and additional maternity leave) including a period of two weeks compulsory leave following the birth of your baby. 3) Ante-natal care You are entitled to paid time off to attend ante-natal appointments where necessary. You must provide your Line Manager with both reasonable notice of when your appointments are and evidence of such appointments where requested. 4) Health and Safety As your employer the Organisation needs to ensure your health and safety whilst you are working and that you are not exposed to any unacceptable risk during your pregnancy. I have attached a risk assessment form which you and your Line Manager will need to carry out as soon as possible and I will ensure a copy of this is kept on your personnel file. Please let me know if you’d like to discuss any adjustments you feel necessary, other than anything already arranged with your Line Manager. To this end, it may well be the case that the Organisation will seek your permission to approach your GP for his/her advice on your pregnancy and appropriate adjustments. If you have any concerns in respect of this assessment I would be grateful if you could let me know immediately. 4) Pregnancy related sickness If you are absent due to a pregnancy related sickness during the four weeks prior to your expected week of childbirth, your maternity leave will automatically commence, and your Statutory Maternity Pay will automatically commence on the day following the first day on which you are absent. Please follow the normal sickness and absence procedures. Group Development Resources TEMPLATE LETTER MATERNITY ENTITLEMENTS 5) Commencement of maternity leave The earliest you may commence your maternity leave is the beginning of the 11th week before your expected week of childbirth. You will need to inform the Organisation when you wish to commence your maternity leave. If you wish to change this date you must provide the Organisation with 28 days notice. 6) Return to work If you commence your maternity leave as planned then your period of maternity leave will end on [insert date] and we shall expect you to return to work on [insert date]. If you wish to return to work early prior to the end of your maternity leave, you must give the Organisation at least 8 weeks notice of the date on which you intend to return in writing. If you decide you do not wish to return to work after the birth of your baby you must give the Organisation the amount of notice stated in your contract of employment. Your decision will not affect your entitlement to SMP.] 7) Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) As you have been continuously employed for a minimum of 26 weeks in the 15th week (qualifying week) before your baby is due, and your average earnings are greater than the National Insurance Contributions Lower Earnings Limit you will be eligible for SMP. Accordingly you will receive 90% of your average weekly earnings for the first six weeks of your maternity leave followed by the standard rate of SMP £(Insert the lower of either the current statutory rate or 90% of average weekly earnings if the employee earns less than statutory rate per week) for up to a further 33 weeks. Your average weekly earnings are calculated by averaging all your earnings subject to National Insurance over the eight weeks immediately before the end of the qualifying week. You will not be entitled to any payment following the first 39 weeks of your maternity leave. / Following your paid maternity leave you will be entitled to [specify] as specified in your terms and conditions of employment. You should note that SMP is subject to both income tax and national insurance deductions and that you will be paid through your normal payroll arrangements. or You are not eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay [delete as appropriate]. The form SMP1 (enclosed) explains why you do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay. You may however be entitled to Maternity Allowance. Take this form to the Jobcentre Plus or Social Security Office at [insert local details], and they will be able to tell you more. Group Development Resources TEMPLATE LETTER MATERNITY ENTITLEMENTS 8) Contractual Benefits You will receive all your normal contractual benefits of holiday and [insert detail of other benefits] during throughout your maternity leave (both Ordinary and Additional) with the exception of remuneration. 9) Keeping in touch In the interest of keeping you involved and up to date the Organisation will contact you during your maternity period to inform you if there are any changes or significant events that affect you. We encourage you to contact the company as often as you like. The amount of contact required will vary from person to person so this is best agreed with your Line Manager prior to commencing your leave. You are allowed to work for up to 10 days during your maternity period without jeopardising your maternity pay. If you wish to take advantage of your entitlement to work during your maternity leave then you need to agree this with the Organisation. There is no obligation to work during your maternity period or to provide work. Finally, it remains for me to wish you well for your pregnancy and if you have any questions about any aspect of your maternity entitlements please do not hesitate to contact me. Yours sincerely and with kindest regards, Group Development Resources