Standard Maternity Leave
- A pregnant employee is currently entitled to 26 consecutive weeks of maternity leave.
- An employee who wishes to avail of her entitlement to maternity leave must notify her employer in writing as soon as reasonably practicable, but no later than 4 weeks before the beginning of the leave, of her intention to take the leave. She must also provide a medical certificate specifying the expected week of confinement.
Additional Maternity Leave
- A pregnant employee is also entitled to 16 consecutive weeks additional maternity leave beginning immediately after the end of the 26 weeks.
- A woman who wishes to avail of her entitlement to additional maternity leave must notify her employer in writing of her intention to take additional maternity leave. This must be done no later than 4 weeks before the day on which her additional maternity leave is due to commence.
Allocation of Minimum Period of Maternity Leave
- A pregnant employee can begin and end her maternity leave on any day she selects but must:
- take a minimum of 2 weeks leave before the end of the expected week of confinement; and
- take 4 weeks leave after the end of the expected week of confinement.
Antenatal / Postnatal Care
- Pregnant employees and employees who have recently given birth are entitled to time off from work, without loss of pay for the purposes of receiving antenatal and postnatal care. However the employee must inform her employer in writing of the time and date of the appointment no later than 2 weeks before the date of the appointment.
