The maternity regime is discussed in detail elsewhere in this Guide ( Maternity leave ). In summary, the main rights are:
Ordinary maternity leave (OML) of 26 weeks
Additional maternity leave (AML) of 26 weeks
An employee is eligible for AML if she has 26 weeks' service at the beginning of the 14th week before the baby is due
Statutory maternity pay (SMP) is payable for a 26-week period
For the first six weeks, SMP is 90% of normal weekly earnings - for the remaining 20 weeks it is £108.85 per week or 90% of normal weekly earnings, whichever is less.
Employees must give notice of their intention to take maternity leave by the end of the 15th week before the baby is due, or as soon as is reasonably practicable.
Upon receipt of the employee's notification, the employer must write to the employee within 28 days and tell her the day her maternity leave ends.
New maternity rules came into force in October 2006 which will apply to women whose babies are due on or after 1 April 2007.