Maternity Leave
In Summary
The Maternity Leave and Pay PolicyLink opens in a new window outlines an individual’s Maternity Leave entitlements and provides guidance on the different responsibilities of the Line Manager/ Head of Department, Human Resources and the individual.
In line with UK legislation, employees are eligible for up to 52 weeks of maternity leave from the first day of their employment at the University. All employees who are pregnant or who have given birth (regardless of their gender) have the option to take statutory maternity leave.
Eligible employees have the option to end their maternity leave early and to convert the balance of this leave into shared parental leave with the other parent or their partner (regardless of gender). Further details can be found in the shared parental leave policy.Link opens in a new window
Statutory and University enhanced payment during maternity leave are available, subject to a range of eligibility requirements relating to length of service and level of earnings.
Please see on this webpage links to the relevant policy, forms and checklists required to guide you through this process. Please contact your HR Business Partner if you have any queries.
Changes to University Maternity and Adoption Pay
Statutory changes to Maternity and Adoption Pay come in from 6 April 2024 and details can be found in the attached policies and FAQ's.
Maternity Leave and Pay Policy - May 2024Link opens in a new window
Maternity / Adoption Leave Pay Modeller 2023-24
Maternity FAQsLink opens in a new window
Maternity Leave and SuccessFactors
The following guide details how to record your maternity leave step-by-step.
How to record maternity/adoption leave in SuccessFactors guide
Recording Maternity or Adoption Leave - Employee checklist
Reviewing Maternity or Adoption Leave Requests - Line Manager checklist
Keeping in Touch (KIT) and Shared Parental Leave in Touch (SPLIT) Days
Employees on Maternity Leave may take up to 10 ‘Keeping in Touch’ (KIT) days and those on Shared Parental Leave may take up to 20 ‘Shared Parental in Touch’ (SPLIT) days, subject to agreement with their department. This means that they may come into work and receive full pay for the day without curtailing their period of leave. Please see the Maternity Policy or Shared Parental Leave policy found at the top of the page for further details.
Both KIT and SPLIT days are now entered into SuccessFactors directly as a one off additional payment. Below is a link to the 'How to...' guide which provides full details and a checklist which provides key steps on how to enter the payment. When entering the payments, please bear in mind the payroll cut off dates found here.Further Information
- Checklist for employees
- Find out what you need to know before, during and after your maternity leave. - Checklist for managers - Find out what you and your employee need to know before, during and after their maternity leave.
- Warwick Academic Returners Fellowship policy Link opens in a new window
(December 2022) - Learn about the Academic Returners Fellowship and what your options are as someone on an academic pathway who'll be returning to work from long-term leave (e.g. maternity/adoption, extended paternity, etc)
Process for recruiting Maternity Leave cover
The SuccessFactors system only allows one person to ‘occupy’ a position at a time and employees on long-term leave (e.g. maternity and adoption leave) still occupy their role during their absence.
This means another position needs to be created for their temporary cover and you need to complete an ‘HR - R1 Request to Create a New Position’ form and get approval to appoint to this before you can submit an ‘HR-R5 Offer Request’ form to make an offer to someone.
Appendix 1 of the 'How to...Manage Positions in SuccessFactors' guide explains this process in more detail.
Important note regarding Mat B1 forms
Please note that for the MAT B1 to be valid and acceptable by the HMRC, registered midwifes must include:
- their Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) personal identification number
- the expiry date of their registration with NMC
Doctors must use their name and address stamp.
Please check the validity of your/your partner's Mat B1 before submission
Maternity Leave and Benefit Plans via Salary Deduction
It is important to note that if you are a member of any of our external benefit schemes payable by salary deduction, if you continue into unpaid maternity leave, you must contact your benefit provider in advance and arrange alternative payment until such time you return to paid employment. You must also notify Benefits at warwick dot ac dot uk of your intention. Unfortunately, failure to do so will result in automatic cancellation of your plan(s) when no further payments can be taken from your salary. For further information or support on this please contact Benefits at warwick dot ac dot uk