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 has arranged a risk
assessment themselves, and if not contact your departmental safety representative to arrange a risk
assessment asap.
 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.
Checklist continued over the page
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/campus-support/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 arrange the necessary risk assessment , and 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