LRD guides and handbook June 2016

Law at Work 2016

Chapter 9

The key elements of statutory maternity leave 


[ch 9: page 286]

Statutory maternity leave has three parts:


Compulsory maternity leave: this is the first two weeks (or four weeks in the case of factory workers) from birth. A woman who gives birth must take this leave;


Ordinary maternity leave (OML): this is the first 26 weeks, and includes the two compulsory weeks;


Additional maternity leave (AML): this is a further period of 26 weeks and follows immediately after the OML.