Baby, Work & Me

Baby, Work & Me

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Introduction

The Maternity Process

Maternity Risk Assessments

Time Off To Attend Antenatal Appointments

My Matb1 Form

My Maternity Pay

My Maternity Leave

Shared Parental Leave

FAQs

My Pregnancy

Annual Leave

Pay

While I am on Maternity Leave

Vacancies

Contents

What Does All The Maternity Terminolgy Mean?

Returning to Work

Parental Leave

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IntroductionCongratulations, and thank you for notifying us of your pregnancy.

It is an exciting time for both you and your family, and we want to make sure that we make things as easy for you as possible when planning your leave from work. We understand you will have lots of

questions, especially if it is your first pregnancy.

This guide will explain the maternity process at Firstsource. Please take a look at the UK intranet for more detail on all related policies:

http://intranet.firstsource.com/uk/policies/asp

If you have any questions, please feel free to speak to your manager or a member of the Human Resources (HR) team that will

be happy to help.

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If you have any queries in regards to any aspect of your maternity leave just contact a member of your HR Team.

Maternity Starts!

Maternity Application Form and MATB1 uploaded via

the PayPortal

Employee receives MATB1 form from Midwife

at 24 -26 weeks

Meeting is arranged with HR if you would like one

30 week Meeting with HR to confirm dates, pay and next steps

Meeting is planned withHR if you would like one

Risk Assessment is carriedout with your line manager

Employee informsline manager andHR of pregnancy

TheMaternityProcess

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Maternity Risk AssessmentsAs your employer, we want to ensure that your health and safety as a pregnant mother is uncompromised at the workplace and that you are not at any risk. Most women will enjoy their pregnancy with no concerns however if your doctor or midwife has any concerns, please let us know so we can support you along the way.

Following your initial meeting with HR, a risk assessment will be arranged with your Team Manager. During this meeting, we will identify hazards in the workplace that could be a risk to any new, expectant, or breastfeeding mothers.

Time off to Attend Antenatal AppointmentsYou will be given paid time off for antenatal appointments. You will be paid for a maximum of 3 hours off work to attend each check-up. Your line manager may request to see your appointment card to make sure it is recorded correctly for the Payroll department.

My MATB1 FormWhen you meet with your doctor, you will be given a medical form called MATB1. It will outline your due date; we will use this to complete your paperwork and calculate your maternity pay. Once you have received your form, bring it along to your meeting with HR. We will require it to complete your application form via the Payportal.

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My Maternity Pay

Your maternity pay will depend on how long you have worked with us. The flowchart below will help you understand the eligibility criteria for your maternity package. You will receive a letter from the Payroll team to confirm your actual

payments.

Have you worked in Firstsource for 26

weeks or more?

You are not entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay from us. You will be eligible to apply for Maternity Allowance through your local job

centre.

NoYes

NoYes

You are entitled to our Enhanced Maternity Pay package. This will be paid at 6 weeks full pay followed by 10 weeks (for 2 years+ service) / 5 weeks (for 1 year+ service) half pay. The remaining leave will be paid at

statutory rate.

You are entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay. The first 6 weeks are paid at 90% of your average weekly pay and then 33 weeks at the lower rate of

Statutory Maternity Pay

Have you completed over 1 year of continuous service?

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Please note: This flowchart is based on you earning over the statutory

lower earnings limit.

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My Maternity LeaveYou can take up to 52 weeks off work as maternity leave. When we are completing your application, we will assume that you will avail your full entitlement to maternity leave. If you would like to come back to work before the end of the 52 weeks, please let us know 8 weeks in advance to ensure we have everything in place for your return.

Shared Parental LeaveYou may opt-out of maternity leave and opt into shared parental leave, instead. This option gives parents more flexibility during the first year as you can share your leave weeks to:

• be off work at the same time;or• take it in turns to have time off to look after your baby.

For more information on shared parental leave, please refer to the “Shared Parental Leave” policy on our UK Intranet.

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FAQs

My Pregnancy

What is my maternity entitlement?

Please refer to the Maternity flowchart on Page 3 – if you are unclear or have any further queries, a member of the HR Team will assist you with your questions during your scheduled meeting. If you are a TUPE employee, your terms may be different – please ask a member of your HR Team as they will happily assist.

When do I need to advise my line manager that I am pregnant?

The Company requires that you advise your line manager in writing at least 15 weeks (or as soon as reasonably practical) before the Expected Week of Confinement (EWC).

Who do I need to inform regarding my maternity dates?

Once you have confirmed with your line manager that you are pregnant, your line manager will contact the Human Resources Department to schedule a maternity meeting. You will be requested to complete a Maternity Leave Request Form confirming the dates of the leave. The form should be submitted no later than week 25 of your pregnancy or as soon as reasonably possible. After the meeting with HR, we will then meet with you at 30 weeks to confirm payment and dates and deal with any other issues you may have. Refer to ‘My Maternity Pay’ on Page 5 for more details.

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Do I need to provide my line manager with any documentation to confirm my pregnancy?

Yes, you will need to provide us with the MATB1 certificate given to you by your GP or midwife by the 21st week of your pregnancy. It sets out your EWC and is the official confirmation that you are pregnant.

During my pregnancy, am I entitled to attend antenatal check-ups and will I be paid whilst absent?

es, you will be given paid time off for antenatal check-ups. You will be paid for a maximum of 3 hours off work to attend each check-up. Your line manager may request to see your appointment card and may ask you to arrange the appointments at mutually convenient times, to suit business requirements.

When can my maternity leave begin?

You can start your maternity leave anytime from the 11th week before the Expected Week of Confinement (EWC) (29 weeks). When you submit your MATB1 you will receive a letter from the Compensation and Benefits team detailing your payment schedule.

How close to my due date can I work?

You can continue to work right up until your due date if you wanted to. However, it’s common to take your leave a week or two before your due date, to avoid the stress of going into labour at work and ensure the safe, planned arrival of your baby.

What happens if my baby is born prematurely?

If your baby is born early i.e. prior to your maternity leave period, your maternity leave will automatically start the day following the birth of your baby.

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What if things don’t go as expected?

If things don’t go as expected, please contact a member of the HR team or speak directly with your line manager. The company will support you as much as it reasonably can in these circumstances.

In the very sad event of a stillbirth occurring from the 24th week of pregnancy, you will still qualify for maternity pay and leave entitlements.

What if I become sick during my pregnancy?

If you are sick during your pregnancy, you will be treated as any normal employee would be treated. However, if you are absent from work due to a pregnancy-related reason between the beginning of the 4th week - before the EWC period and the notified maternity leave dates - the maternity leave period will begin automatically on the day after the first period of absence.

In this event, you must notify your line manager as soon as reasonably possible that the absence from work is wholly or partly because of pregnancy. Please specify the date on which you were unable to attend work owing to the same reason.

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Annual Leave

Do I still accrue my annual leave whilst on maternity leave?

Annual leave entitlement is accrued on all 52 weeks of maternity leave. Where possible you should try to take your remaining leave for the year before the date your maternity leave begins. However, if this is not practical, it may be possible to carry leave over from one annual leave year to the next.

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Firstsource currently works on performance-related pay reviews. If you are on maternity leave at the time of your pay review, then we will base this on your performance up until the start of your maternity leave. If your payment increases as a result of the pay review, you will receive a letter to your home address.

Pay

What happens with my pay review whilst I am on maternity leave?

What if I am not entitled to receive Statutory Maternity Pay?

If you are not entitled to receive SMP (due to length of your service), Payroll will issue you with forms SMP1 and MA1. These forms explain why maternity pay is not payable and should be taken to your local Jobcentre Plus office together with your Maternity Certificate (MATB1). Jobcentre Plus will advise you if you are eligible for them to pay you Maternity Allowance.

What happens to my ‘Give As You Ear’n contribution when I start my maternity leave?

If you participate in 'Give As You Earn', your charity donations will continue while you receive maternity pay.

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While I am on Maternity Leave

What are KIT days?

Employees can do up to 10 'Keeping in Touch' days during a period of maternity leave. During these days an employee may attend work, undertake training or keep in touch with work developments through other means without bringing the period of maternity leave to an end. The employee can suggest the use of this facility but they must be agreed with the business. If you wish to use “Keeping in Touch” days, please contact the HR Officer/Line Manager to agree and arrange.

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Vacancies

What if I am ill during my pregnancy?

Being ill during your pregnancy may affect your statutory maternity payments so ask your HR Officer if you are concerned about this.

What happens if I am unable to return to work after my pregnancy?

If you are unable to return to work on the date you intended as you are unwell, you will not lose the right to return to work. This absence will be treated as if you had returned to work and are on sick leave. You will however be required to provide medical evidence to cover your absence.

If you are unable to return to work for reasons other than ill-health, you may wish to extend the period of your maternity leave by an additional period of unpaid parental leave (see Parental Leave policy).

How will I know and be informed about any upcoming job vacancies whilst on maternity leave?

All job vacancies will be posted to the Firstsource website. You are encouraged to visit www.firstsource.com/careers regularly to review all current vacancies and apply for any that may be of interest to you.

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What Does All The Maternity Terminolgy Mean?

Expected Week of Childbirth which means the week in which the

doctor or midwife expects your baby to be born. You will be given a

provisional date when the doctor first confirms your pregnancy,

however it is only when you receive your MAT B1 certificate that the

date is confirmed.

Qualifying Week is 15 weeks before the day your baby is expected

to be born. This date is used when confirming your maternity

entitlements.

Statutory Maternity Pay is the rate of pay set down by the

government which you are entitled to receive during your maternity

leave. This rate increases every April.

It is a medical certificate provided to you by your doctor or midwife

to confirm the date your baby is due. You should usually receive it

around week 24 of pregnancy.

Ordinary Maternity Leave refers to the first 26 weeks of your

maternity leave.

Additional Maternity Leave immediately follows the first 26 weeks of

your maternity leave.

Keeping in Touch days are days when you can attend work during

your leave without breaking your maternity leave. You will receive

pay at your normal rate for each day. Payment of SMP will not be

affected.

EWC

QW

SMP

MATB1

OML

AML

KIT

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Returning to work How soon can I return to work after my baby is born?

For Health & Safety reasons you will not be permitted to return to work until the end of the 2 weeks immediately after the birth of the baby.

Am I entitled to return to the same job under the same terms and conditions after my maternity leave?

If you are returning during or at the end of the first 39 weeks (ordinary maternity leave) you are entitled to return to the same job and on the same terms and conditions e.g. salary, hours and the seniority of your job.

If you take more than 39 weeks (additional maternity leave) you are entitled to return to the same job on the same terms and conditions. If that isn’t reasonably practical, you are entitled to return to a suitable job on terms and conditions which are at least as good as your previous job.

Do I have the right to return on a part-time basis?

No, you do not have the right to return to part time work. However if you have sufficient continuous service you can apply to work flexible working patterns (Refer to our Flexible Working policy for more information)

How much notice do I need to give my line manager if I wish to return early or late from my maternity leave?

You must give your line manager 8 weeks’ notice in writing of your intentions to return early or late from your arranged maternity leave dates.

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All employees, with at least one year’s continuous service are eligible for parental leave. The right to parental leave lasts until the child reaches the age of five years, however, if the child is disabled (in receipt of disability living allowance) the right lasts until the child reaches the age of eighteen years. If the child has been adopted, the right lasts until five years after placement for adoption or until he or she reaches the age of eighteen, whichever is the earliest. For full details, please refer to the Parental Leave Policy.

Parental Leave

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Use this checklist to make sure you have everything covered and keep track of your appointments

Meeting with HR

Your HR Rep is __________________________________________

Your risk assessment is scheduled to take place on __________

with ___________________________

Your next HR Meeting will be on ____________ at ___________

At this meeting we will complete your application and discuss your dates – don’t forget to bring your MATB1 form

Your next HR meeting will take place on ________ at _________

At this meeting we will discuss the next steps before your maternity leave starts

Your maternity leave will begin on _________________________

Discussed vacancies during maternity leave

We look forward to meeting your new arrival!

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