LINE MANAGER MATERNITY LEAVE CHECKLIST:
NAME OF EMPLOYEE:
DEPARTMENT:
PROPOSED START DATE OF LEAVE:
PROPOSED END DATE OF LEAVE:
Before commencing Maternity Leave:
 Once your employee has informed you of their pregnancy, check whether the employee
requires a risk assessment, further information can be obtained on the following link:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/healthsafetywellbeing/guidance/womenofchildbearing
age
 Inform the employee that the University Maternity leave policy can be found at
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/maternity and let them
know that the Maternity Leave Plan needs to be completed and returned to HR normally
after the20th week of pregnancy, and at the latest 28 days before maternity leave starts
 Consider and discuss how maternity cover will be managed and discuss with your
employee how best to prepare for their absence, for example, by arranging appropriate
handover meetings with whomever is covering their duties, or preparing appropriate
records/briefing documents
 Discuss the benefits of Keeping in Touch (KIT) days whilst on maternity leave and what
will be expected during the KIT days. Employees are able to work a maximum of 10
keeping in touch days. KIT days are entirely optional for the employee and employer.
For more information about KIT days please see the Maternity Leave Guidelines
paragraph 12.2
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/maternity
 Discuss with your employee their preferred method of communication whilst on maternity
leave, and whether they wish to receive departmental updates whilst on maternity leave.
 For academic staff, consider any potential implications of their maternity leave on their
expected research assessment submission, and refer to relevant guidance.
Whilst on Maternity Leave:
 Arrange any Keeping in Touch (KIT) days and discuss what will be expected during the
KIT days. Complete the KIT payment form and send to payroll to ensure the employee is
paid for the KIT day. The KIT form can be found on the following website:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/maternity
 Arrange a meeting with the employee to discuss their return to work, covering the
following:
 Any changes /updates in their role/work environment
 Any requests to take annual, customary and statutory leave accrued during their
maternity leave
 Discuss if the employee wishes to agree a phased return to work (using annual
leave for example)
 Discuss any flexible working options with your employee and consider any flexible
working requests (Further guidance on how to manage flexible working requests
can be found on the following website:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/fwg)
 Arrange where the employee will sit when they return, and for their phone extension to
be updated with IT services and ensure their IT account is active along with access to
other IT packages eg SAP
 Inform the employee where and whom they should report to on their first day back, where
relevant.
Return from Maternity Leave:
 Inform payroll of the date when the employee is due to return from Maternity leave to
ensure their pay is re-activated
 Remind the employee to reactivate their car parking permit, for further details the visit the
following website http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/campussupport/carparks/permitreg/
 Arrange a handover meeting to outline the employee’s responsibilities, identify any
training and/or
re-induction needs following their return from maternity leave, and let
them know who to contact should they have any further queries
 Advise the employee that facilities can be made available should the mother continue to
breastfeed following the return to work. If facilities are required, advise them to contact
your department’s Link HR Adviser to discuss facilities which may be provided.
 Have weekly review meetings initially with employees on their return from maternity leave
to encourage the employee to discuss any issues they may have since returning from
maternity leave.
 Ensure your returning employee has enough time for social re-integration and rebuilding
of networks to enable them rebuild their professional and support networks.
 For further information please refer to the NCT’s Employers Guide to returning to work
http://www.nct.org.uk/sites/default/files/ReturningToWork-Employers.pdf