Letter to Confirm an Employee's Maternity Leave (UK) (Acas)
Letter to Confirm an Employee’s Maternity Leave (Template)
[letter date]
Dear [employee name],
Thank you for telling us about your pregnancy in your letter/email dated [employee communication date].
Maternity leave start and return dates
You told us you want to start your maternity leave on [maternity leave start date].
You're entitled to 52 weeks' statutory maternity leave.
Your contract also gives you enhanced maternity leave of [enhanced maternity leave weeks].
If you take your full entitlement, your return to work date will be [return to work date].
If you want to take less than your full maternity leave entitlement, please let us know. By law, you must take at least 2 weeks' off after your baby is born.
Note: if your employee works in a factory, they must take at least 4 weeks' off
Changing your maternity leave start and return dates
If you want to change the date you start your maternity leave, you must give us at least 28 days' notice.
If you want to change the date you return from maternity leave, you must give us at least 8 weeks' notice.
If your maternity leave is triggered early
If your baby arrives early your maternity leave will automatically start the date after your baby is born. If this happens, please let us know as soon as possible.
If you're off work with pregnancy-related illness at any time in the 4 weeks before your baby is due, your maternity leave will automatically start after the first day of absence.
If your maternity leave is triggered early, we will tell you your new return to work date within 28 days.
Antenatal appointments
You have the right to a reasonable amount of paid time off for pregnancy-related appointments.
After your first appointment, you must provide an appointment card or other evidence of your appointments if we ask for it.
Holiday entitlement
You will still build up your usual holiday entitlement while you're on maternity leave.
You cannot use holiday entitlement while you're on maternity leave. But you can arrange to use your holiday before or after maternity leave.
You should speak to [hr contact] as early as possible about how to use your holiday entitlement, including any you build up while on maternity leave.
Keeping in touch days
You can work for up to 10 days during your maternity leave to help you stay in touch with [organization name]. These are called 'keeping touch (KIT) days'.
You should speak to [hr contact] to arrange any keeping in touch days.
If you have any questions about anything in this letter, please get in touch.
Yours sincerely,
[sender name]
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About this template
What is this template?
Letter to Confirm an Employee's Maternity Leave (UK) (Acas) is a free, ready-to-use Employment Contract template you can open, customize, and download on GitLaw. It gives you a professionally structured starting point, so you never have to draft from a blank page. The wording is plain and modern, organized into clear sections that are easy to read, edit, and adapt to your own situation before you share or sign it.
When should you use it?
Reach for this Employment Contract template whenever you need a reliable agreement quickly and want to be sure the essentials are covered. It suits individuals, freelancers, startups, and established businesses alike. Instead of paying for a document drafted from scratch, you can start here, tailor the details to your arrangement, and have a polished draft ready in minutes. This version is drafted with England & Wales in mind, though you should always review the final wording against the laws that apply to you.
England & Wales note
This version is drafted for England & Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland differ on some points — for example notice periods and tribunal procedure. Tell GitLaw where you hire and it adjusts the draft.
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