Starting maternity leave

A pregnant member of staff may choose when to start her maternity leave, subject to the following constraints:

• The maternity leave period cannot start before the 11th week before the EWC
• The maternity leave period will be automatically triggered if the member of staff is absent from work wholly or partly because of pregnancy after the beginning of the 4th week before the EWC
• The latest date Maternity Leave can start is the date of childbirth.

Staff will not be unreasonably requested by the College to undertake work that would have taken place during the maternity leave period prior to departing on maternity leave. This will not however prevent staff from assisting in the planning of coverage of their work in advance of the maternity leave period.