Returning to work

You will have kept in touch with your manager during your leave and everything should be ready for your return. It is worth checking with your manager where you should go on your first day back, office moves, etc. may have meant that you are not returning to the same place. 

Your manager will have organised a re-induction and so should meet with you on your return to work to go through this with you. If you have been away on maternity leave they will also need to complete a risk assessment. 

If you have had a significant time away from work please do take the time to re-familarise yourself with the work. There are plenty of ways to update your knowledge and skills if needed. Please do discuss this with your manager and use the courses that are available from People Development. It might be that you need to refresh some of the mandatory training so do check your trent record in self service. 

It might also be appropriate to arrange a PDR,PDP or probation meeting with your manager for a few weeks after your return to set new targets and/or review old targets. 

If you are on maternity or adoption leave and you wish to return at a date other than that already notified, then you must give your manager and HR contact at least 8 weeks’ notice in writing of your date of return.

You may not return to work within two weeks of the birth of child for health and safety reasons.

Not returning to work

If you decide not to return to work you must give at least the amount of notice that you are required to give under your contract of employment. It will help your line manager if you let them know as soon as you are sure.

Repayment of maternity/adoption/shared parental pay

If you receive University maternity/adoption/shared parental pay, the University may reclaim from you all or part of the non-statutory element of this maternity/adoption/shared parental pay if you fail to return to work for at least 3 months following your maternity/adoption/shared parental leave (or an equivalent period of time if you reduce your hours). This excludes any non-working periods (eg KIT days, parental leave, vacation time for term time only workers). Please see the University Policy on Overpayments for details on how the money would be repaid by you to the University.

If you work full time and want to return to work on a part time basis after your maternity/adoption/shared parental/paternity/partner leave, or to request other flexible working arrangements, you should discuss the options as soon as possible with your Human Resources Business Partner and your HManager/Head of Department in accordance with the procedure for the right for parents and carers to request adjustments to working patterns. Read the guidance on how to request flexible working.

The University’s Parents’ and Carers’ Network is an informal support system for all staff and postgraduate students.

We would love you to become involved in the Parents and Carers network. This network is designed to support all parents and carers at work and offer invaluable networking opportunities. There is an online Teams channel where you can discuss anything from nursery provision to maintaining a work life balance.

For undergraduates

The Guild has a group specifically for supporting student parents. For further information please visit: http://www.exeterguild.com/advice/studentparents/.

If you’ve been on maternity leave for 26 weeks or less

You’re entitled to return to the same job after maternity leave if you’ve been away 26 weeks or less.

If you’ve been on maternity leave for more 26 weeks

You’re entitled to return to the same job after maternity leave if you’ve been away 26 weeks or more unless it is not reasonably practicable e.g. your job no longer exists. In the rare occasions when this occurs, you will be offered a similar job on terms and conditions comparable to your previous job.

Risk assessment

Please ensure you complete the Maternity Risk Assessment upon your return to work. 

Repayment of maternity/adoption/shared parental pay

If you receive University maternity/adoption/shared parental pay, the University may reclaim from you all or part of the non-statutory element of this maternity/adoption/shared parental pay if you fail to return to work for at least 3 months following your maternity/adoption/shared parental leave (or an equivalent period of time if you reduce your hours). This excludes any non-working periods (eg KIT days, parental leave, vacation time for term time only workers). Please see the University Policy on Overpayments for details on how the money would be repaid by you to the University.

It is not appropriate to combine homeworking with dependent care and homeworking is not an alternative to paid dependent care. You must not plan to have sole responsibility for a child or other dependent during your working hours.