United Kingdom
Cookies and privacy
skip navigation
Browse frequently asked questions and answers on key HR issues. Navigate by topic or key word search. View latest additions or suggest a question to the XpertHR editorial team.
If an employee whose probation period has been extended due to poor performance announces that she is pregnant will the employer be obliged to confirm her in the post? Where a job applicant is currently on maternity leave and would not wish to start the new role until the end of her maternity leave can the potential employer reject her application for this reason? Where a suitably qualified employee who is about to go on maternity leave wishes to apply for an internal vacancy must she be considered for the position even though she may not be able to start the new job for a year? What is the minimum provision for maternity leave? Where an employee is expecting twins, will she be entitled to two lots of maternity leave? Apart from the right to statutory maternity leave what other statutory rights do pregnant women and new mothers have? What rights do employees have in relation to time off work for antenatal care? Can an employer insist that a part-time employee arrange all her antenatal appointments for times when she is not working? How is "expected week of childbirth" defined? What notice of her intention to take maternity leave is an employee required to give? Does an employee who wishes to exercise her right to statutory maternity leave have to give her employer all the required information at the same time? What notice of the date that she wants her statutory maternity pay to begin does an employee have to give?
An employer must respond to an employee’s notification of her maternity leave start date within 28 days of receiving the notice. The employer’s response must be in writing and must inform the employee of the date of the end of her additional maternity leave, following which she is expected to return to work.
The employer may take this opportunity to provide details of practicalities such as arrangements for keeping-in-touch days, and notification procedures should the employee wish to return earlier than the expected return date.
Want to see more?