Maternity Rights and Top Tips Maternity leave and the associated issues are often a source of concern for salon owners and employees. In this article I will clarify the law regarding maternity and hopefully offer a few useful tips. Maternity Leave Employees are entitled to 52 weeks maternity leave made up of as follows: • 6 weeks at 90% of pay or SMP rate whichever is the greater • 33 weeks SMP (£145.18 from April 2018)- • 13 weeks unpaid The maternity leave can begin 11 weeks prior to the expected week of confinement. Employees who earn less than £116 are not entitled to SMP and claim maternity allowance. The good news is that you can recover the 39 weeks SMP you pay Recovery of SMP 92% of SMP paid can be recovered by deduction from the monthly PAYE payments. Employers may qualify for Small Employers’ Relief (SER). SER is 100% of SMP plus 4.5% What Happens The employee must give you a MATB1 form before the end of the 25 th week of pregnancy You should undertake a risk assessment with the employee as soon as they are made aware of the pregnancy and review it on a monthly basis. Typical adjustments include relaxation of uniform rules, more short breaks between clients and adjustments of hours.

Maternity Rights and Top Tips...Maternity Rights and Top Tips Maternity leave and the associated issues are often a source of concern for salon owners and employees. In this article

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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.

Page 2: Maternity Rights and Top Tips...Maternity Rights and Top Tips Maternity leave and the associated issues are often a source of concern for salon owners and employees. In this article

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