Page "United Kingdom labour law" Paragraph 31

Rights to leave from work to care for children have important consequences for career advancement and gender equality.

The major right, which goes beyond the minimum set by the Pregnant Workers Directive, is a mix of paid and unpaid maternity leave.

A contract of employment can always be and often is more generous.

Otherwise, the minimum right to paid maternity leave arises for women employees after 26 weeks work, though the right to unpaid leave has no qualifying period.

Under the Maternity and Parental Leave, etc Regulations 1999 mothers must take compulsory leave at the time of child birth for two weeks.

After that comes a right to 6 weeks ' leave paid at 90 per cent of ordinary salary.

Then is 20 weeks leave paid at a rate set by statute, which was £ 123. 06 per week in 2010.

This has to be at least the same level as statutory sick pay.

Then she may take additional but unpaid maternity leave for another 26 weeks.

She must tell the employer 15 weeks before the date of the expected birth, in writing if the employer requests it.

Except insofar as they administer the payments, employers do not bear most costs of maternity leave as they are reimbursed by the government according to their size and national insurance contributions.

Along with different forms of leave, mothers have the right to not suffer any professional detriment or dismissal while they are absent, and should be able to return to the same job after 26 weeks, or another suitable job after 52 weeks.