Find out about your maternity pay entitlements.
Maternity leave and pay
Maternity leave
All employees are entitled to take up to one year’s/52 weeks' maternity leave, regardless of length of service with the University. Although it is up to you to decide how much of the 52 weeks’ maternity leave you wish to take, the law requires that a minimum of two weeks’ leave from date of childbirth must be taken.
To qualify for maternity leave and pay you must remain in employment until the 11th week before the week in which your baby is due (ie approx 29 weeks' pregnant).
Legally there is no distinction between stillbirths after a pregnancy lasting into the 25th week and live births.
Maternity pay
Maternity leave and pay are separate entitlements. Find out about maternity pay.
What happens to my annual leave?
For full details regarding annual leave before, during and after a period of maternity leave, please see our Annual leave page.
What happens to my car parking permit while I'm on maternity leave?
When you go on maternity leave the pay and benefits team will automatically stop your deductions but you can keep your parking permit for any keeping in touch days. When you return from maternity leave your deductions will automatically restart. However, as with all staff from 1st April 2018 car parking can no longer be claimed under the salary exchange, due to a new government regulation. From 1st April 2018 staff will pay the net amount for car parking from their salary after tax.
