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Introduction to this document

Letter notifying change to maternity leave dates

This letter may be used where an employee wishes to change the start date of their maternity leave. The letter must be sent within 28 days of the employee's notice to change the start date and sets out the new maternity leave end date. You can require any notice to change the start date to be in writing. If insufficient notice is given, you may choose to accept the new date but you are not obliged to do so.

Employee changing start date

You can require any notice to change the maternity leave start date to be in writing. If an employee wants to bring her original start date forward, she must give at least 28 days' notice before her new start date. If she wants to take her original start date back, she must give at least 28 days' notice before the original start date. If insufficient notice is given, you may choose to accept the new date but you are not obliged to do so (unless it was not reasonably practicable for the employee to give 28 days’ notice and she gave notice as soon as it was).

Automatic commencement

Note that regardless of whether the employee has specified a start date or given sufficient notice, her maternity leave will automatically commence if she gives birth or is absent wholly or partly because of her pregnancy in the four weeks before the baby is due.