Maternity Leave Policy

Members of staff at the University are entitled to take Maternity Leave for the birth of a child; which is inclusive of surrogate birth parents. This policy fully explains the provisions for Maternity Leave and pay arrangements. Details of the application process are also provided.

All members of staff who become pregnant may wish to contact the Human Resources Department to arrange a meeting with their Area Human Resources contact who can explain the process, benefits and important dates to remember during the maternity period. This information can also be found on the Maternity Guidance page.

Key Points

The University has made improvements to its Maternity, Adoption, Paternity and Shared Parental Leave policies. These were implemented from 1 June 2023. To find out how these changes may affect you, please read these FAQs alongside the policy below.
All eligible members of staff are entitled to take a maximum of 52 weeks of Maternity Leave, regardless of length of service.
You are entitled to reasonable time off at full pay for antenatal care.
You may be paid at full salary for the first 26 weeks of your Maternity Leave.
You will continue to accrue contractual leave entitlements while taking Maternity Leave.
The University will continue to pay employee and employer pension contributions during unpaid periods of Maternity Leave.
You may carry out up to ten Keeping in Touch days with the agreement of your manager.
You may be entitled to additional unpaid Parental Leave.

Applications for Maternity Leave are subject to criteria outlined in the Maternity Leave Policy (below). Please see the document for full terms and conditions.