What to do by the 15th week before your baby is due

Your HR Business Partner will provide the application for maternity leave (MATFORM) you will need to complete and return to Human Resources.

In order to complete the MATFORM, you and your Head of Discipline/line manager will need to talk about:

• when you are going to start your maternity leave. This can be any time from 11 weeks before your baby is due, but may start automatically if you are off sick with a pregnancy related illness in the four weeks before your baby is due. If you are off work with a pregnancy-related illness prior to this, you will be paid in the same way as for any other type of illness
• when you will take any annual leave. You are required to take the amount of annual leave you have accrued up to the date you commence your maternity leave. You will continue to accrue annual leave during the period of maternity leave which can be taken when your maternity leave finishes and you return to work

MATB1 form

You will need to provide your HR Business Partner with a MATB1. Your GP/midwife will give you this form after the 21st week of your pregnancy. Within 28 days of receiving the MATFORM and MATB1, your HR Business Partner will write to you to confirm the details of your maternity leave, including the date when your maternity leave will end. If you change your mind about the start date of your maternity leave, you must give 28 days' notice, in writing, to your HR Business Partner .

Paternity leave/maternity support leave

Your partner must tell their employer by the 15th week before the baby is due if they want to take ordinary and /or additional paternity leave (maternity support leave), or they may not be able to take it.