FOI request (FOIR-577480546)

Maternity Leave

Requested Mon 15 January 2024
Responded Tue 23 January 2024

I would like to submit a Freedom of Information Act please:

1. Total number of staff that went on maternity leave since 2012?

2. Average length of maternity leave mothers has taken since 2012?

3. Total number of mothers that returned to full time to work after maternity leave?

4. Total number of mothers that returned to work part time following maternity leave?

5. Total number of mothers that did not return to work at all following maternity leave?

6. Number of stress absences after returning to work post birth in the first 2 years?

7. How many management instructions or disciplinary actions related to mothers returning to work post birth? (For example, off for too many periods of time.)

8. What is your policy for staff needing time off to take care of their children or take their children to doctors' appointments?

9. Do staff have to take unpaid leave to take care of their sick children, or do they get paid?

10. Do you carry out a health and safety risk assessment for pregnant women?

11. What is your maternity pay policy?

12. Are women explained their pregnancy rights when they tell their employer/manager they are pregnant?

13. Total number of employment tribunal claims since 2012 taken by mothers against the Council for any case with 'maternity' or 'pregnancy' mentioned since 2012?

14. Reason for employment tribunal claims if stated.

15. Total number of successful tribunals claims against the Council for any case with 'maternity' or 'pregnancy' mentioned since 2012?

Response

1. 44

2. 9 months

3. 12 members of staff came back to work on reduced contracted hours.

4. 12 members of staff came back to work on reduced contracted hours.

5. None

6. None

7. None

8. Time off for pre arranged appointments will need to be covered by flexi-time/TOIL or annual leave. Emergency care leave is available to employees who have responsibility for children up to the age of 16 who normally rely on the employee for care. Up to 5 days paid leave each leave year (pro rata for part-timers) is allowed to enable carers to deal with sickness/an emergency and make alternative and longer term care arrangements if required. In most cases one or two days will be the most that are needed but if the situation is on-going annual leave, flexi-time/TOIL or or unpaid leave can be taken.

9. See answer to question 8.

10. Yes

11. See attached

12. Maternity interviews are conducted with a member of HR and Payroll.

13. None

14. Not applicable

15. Not applicable

Attachments

• FOIR-577480546_FOIR-577480546_1-Maternity_policy.pdf