Our team is here to help employers navigate maternity, paternity and adoption rights of their staff. As an employer, you will encounter occasions when an employee announces they are expecting a baby. When this happens, you have certain responsibilities which you should be aware of.
We will guide you on leave policies and assist you in ensuring a smooth transition for your employees. We will help you understand what is expected in this situation from a legal perspective. This includes when an employee must notify you of their pregnancy or adoption, the employee benefits during maternity, paternity or adoptive leave and regulations regarding return to work following their leave. See below for some basic information you need.
Maternity leave regulations are designed to support expectant and new mothers. Eligible employees are entitled to up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, comprising Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML) and Additional Maternity Leave (AML). OML covers the first 26 weeks, while AML extends to the final 26 weeks. Employees are entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) for 39 weeks. SMP allows the employee to get 90% of their average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks. For the following 33 weeks, they are entitled to whichever is lower, £172.48 or 90% of their average weekly earnings.
There are similar rules governing paternity and adoptive leave, employers need to understand these regulations. All of these forms of leave offer job protection, require notice to employers and provide paid statutory leave to support new parents or adoptive parents. Being informed ensures a smooth transition into parenthood for your staff and Fairmont Legal can be at the forefront to guide you.
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