MATERNITY
Survey of maternity provision
A new IRS survey examines the maternity provision and return to work arrangements following maternity leave, including flexible working and re-induction, of 179 organisations.
Six months is the most common amount of maternity leave taken, and nine months is the most common average length of time taken. The research also finds that over 40% of organisations have maternity pay provisions that are better than the statutory minimum. The same proportion have made changes to maternity pay and benefits provisions to meet latest statutory provisions, and these focus on increasing maternity pay and ensuring salary-sacrifice benefits continue during the whole of the maternity leave period.
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What you will find in this report
The survey is divided into the following sections:
Maternity leave
Maternity provision
Changes to provision
Cost of maternity leave
Covering leave
Keeping-in-touch policies
Keeping-in-touch take up
Are keeping-in touch-days a good idea?
Returning to work
Flexible working
Alterations to working patterns
Chart 1: Changes to maternity leave cover over the past 12 months
Chart 2: Taking advantage of keeping-in-touch days while on maternity leave
Chart 3: Reasons for rejecting flexible working requests
Chart 4: Changes to working patterns among women returners
Table 1: How maternity pay compares with statutory provisions
Table 2: Arrangements used to cover the work of women on maternity leave
Want to know more?
Title: “Maternity provision and return to work”, IRS Employment Review, 4 January 2010.
Availability: The journal is available as part of a subscription to XpertHR. Go to www.xperthr.co.uk to subscribe.
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