Pregnancy and Maternity

An expectant mother who is legally classed as an employee is entitled to up to 52 weeks of maternity leave. An employee is someone who works under an employment contract.

After giving birth it is compulsory to take the first two to four weeks leave. Subsequently, it is a personal choice regarding how much more of the available 52 weeks you then take.

You may be entitled to maternity pay, which can vary. New mums may receive Statutory Maternity Pay, enhanced (‘contractual’) maternity pay, or Maternity Allowance.

Shared Parental Leave and Pay helps eligible parents share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay.

You can opt how to take the leave and pay, and you can choose to do it in a more flexible way if preferable. For example, each parent can take up to three blocks of leave, more if their employer allows, interspersed with periods of work.

If you are an agency worker, freelance, self-employed, or on a zero-hours contract and, therefore, not classed as an employee, you must still stop work for a minimum of two weeks (four weeks if you do factory work) after giving birth.

If you’re worried about balancing work, pregnancy, and maternity, we’re here to listen. Join Employees United today to get immediate advice.