Family Friendly FAQ

Here you’ll find answers to some of the common questions asked about family friendly leave.

Visit the Family friendly Leave and Family friendly Leave for Teachers & Associated Professionals categories for more information on this subject.

I’m pregnant, what do I need to tell the Council about?

Please refer to the Maternity Policy and Guidance Note or for Teachers & Associated Professionals refer to SNCT 49 – Maternity and Adoption Leave and Pay which details the full steps to be taken.

For further guidance, please contact the People Helpdesk on 01698 403151 or alternatively email them at ESC-HelpDeskTeam@northlan.gov.uk.

I have an employee who is pregnant and wishes to change her working pattern?

They should submit their request in writing using Letter 1 available within the Smarter Working Guidance Note. You should meet the employee initially to find out if this is a permanent or temporary request. If temporary (and it can be accommodated), speak to your HR Business Partner and then confirm the temporary adjustment in writing.

A member of staff who is pregnant has missed a lot of working hours recently. Are there limitations about the amount of time off I need to give someone for medical appointments when they are pregnant?

Pregnant employees have the right to paid time off for antenatal care. Antenatal care’ isn’t just medical appointments – it can also include antenatal or parenting classes if they’ve been recommended by a doctor or midwife. Employers must give pregnant employees time off for antenatal care and pay their normal rate for this time off. The father or pregnant woman’s partner has the right to unpaid time off work to go to 2 antenatal appointments. Maternity leave and Statutory Maternity Pay will start automatically if the employee is off work for a pregnancy-related illness in the 4 weeks before the baby is due – it doesn’t matter what has been previously agreed.

My partner is pregnant, what time off am I entitled to?

Time off with pay is available to employees that meet the eligibility criteria set out in the Special Leave Policy, full details can be found in the policy.

Applications for Maternity/Adoption Support Leave and Statutory Paternity Leave can be found here.

Child related leave policies can also be found here.

Non-teaching staff – are now entitled to 4 weeks paid paternity leave and should be recorded as 2 weeks paternity leave and 2 weeks other paid leave.

Can I take Shared Parental Leave?

Full details of Shared Parental Leave eligibility can be found in the Special Leave policy.

When do I notify my employer that I am pregnant? I am pregnant, what is the process for this?

You must notify your manager during the Qualifying Week, i.e. the 15th week before the Expected Week of Childbirth that you intend to exercise your right to take maternity leave.

Please refer to the Maternity Policy and Guidance Note which details the full steps to be taken.

For further guidance, please contact the People Helpdesk on 01698 403151 or alternatively email them at ESC-HelpDeskTeam@northlan.gov.uk.

When do I get my maternity leave interview?

These will no longer be undertaken. Please refer to the Maternity Policy and Guidance Note which details the full steps to be taken.

For further guidance, please contact the People Helpdesk on 01698 403151 or alternatively email them at ESC-HelpDeskTeam@northlan.gov.uk.

What annual leave will I be entitled to if I'm on maternity leave?

You continue to accrue annual leave throughout your maternity leave period, even during a period of unpaid maternity leave. It is not possible to split your maternity leave with a period of annual leave. Annual leave can only be taken before or after your maternity leave period. Despite your maternity leave, the normal annual leave rules continue to apply, i.e. employees’ annual leave must be taken before 31 January of the following leave year or it will be lost.

When can I finish work to start my maternity leave?

You decide when your maternity leave will start but the earliest date is the Sunday, 11 weeks before the Sunday of the week in which your baby is due. The latest start date is the Sunday of the week in which your baby is due.

I’ve not received any SSP/SMP/SAP/SPP payments, what can I do?

Please contact the People Helpdesk on 01698 403151 or alternatively email them at ESC-HelpDeskTeam@northlan.gov.uk for assistance.

I didn’t receive my Paternity Pay/Maternity Pay?

Please contact the People Helpdesk on 01698 403151 or alternatively email them at ESC-HelpDeskTeam@northlan.gov.uk for assistance.

My Maternity Pay is low or has stopped?

Maternity is only paid for 39 wks of 52 wks leave.

If it has ended sooner, please contcat the People Helpdesk on 01698 403151 or alternatively email them at ESC-HelpDeskTeam@northlan.gov.uk for assistance.

Can I / my employee work days during maternity leave?

If mutually agreed by manager and employee, an employee can work up to 10 paid days during their maternity, adoption or additional paternity leave. These days are called ‘keeping in touch days’. It is the managers responsibility to ensure that over the 10 days a maximum of 70 hours (or pro rated for part time workers) is not exceeded. This limit is set by the Scottish Government.

I recently returned to work following maternity leave and I'm pregnant again. Will I be entitled to maternity leave again?

All pregnant employees of the Council are entitled to maternity leave. Further information can be found in the Maternity Policy and Guidance Note.

Updated on 18th October 2019

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