HILLINGDON MANOR SCHOOL
MATERNITY LEAVE
KEEPING IN TOUCH (KIT DAYS)
What are ‘Keeping in Touch' (KIT) days?
Keeping in Touch days enable an employee on maternity leave to agree with her employer to work under her normal contract of employment for up to 10 days during statutory maternity leave. The provision of Keeping in Touch days applies to both periods of ordinary and additional maternity leave.
Keeping in Touch days are optional and there is no obligation for the employee to attend work at any time during maternity leave. Equally, prior agreement must be reached with the Principal as to the timing when the work will take place and what work will be undertaken on these days. The days on which you work need not be consecutive. The type of work undertaken may be normal day to day activities to assist the return to work process, or enabling attendance at a conference, undertaking a training activity or attending a team meeting for example.
‘Keeping in Touch' days are paid at the appropriate contractual rate and can be taken in either full or half days only. If it has been agreed that you can work a half day only, you will have triggered the use of a full days KIT entitlement.
If you still qualify to receive Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), at a time when opting to work a ‘Keeping in Touch' day you will continue to receive as normal the element of SMP pay. However your daily rate will consist of a combination of SMP and contractual pay. You will only receive payment for Keeping in Touch days on days when you attend and provide services to the school. KIT pay will not be paid on days where you are absent from school for any reason.
Payment for ‘Keeping in Touch' days shall not exceed the contractual daily rate of full pay. In the event that you are in the unpaid period of maternity leave, your normal daily contractual rate of pay will apply. This arrangement applies only to ‘Keeping in Touch' days.
The maternity leave start and end dates are not affected by ‘Keeping in Touch' days as these form part of the school’s maternity policy and can only be taken during the period of maternity leave.
Keeping in touch days can be taken at any stage during the maternity leave period (paid or unpaid), by prior agreement with the Principal, with the exception of the first two weeks following the birth of your baby.
The employee will record attendance on ‘Keeping in Touch’ days by completing the attached proforma and passing it to the Principal for approval.
KIT Days Authorization Proforma
The employee will record attendance on ‘Keeping in Touch’ days by completing the attached proforma and passing it to the Principal for approval.
EMPLOYEE NAME:PAY REFERENCE:
DAY
(maximum of 10 days) / DATE WORKED / HOURS WORKED
(not including lunch)
TOTAL HOURS WORKED:
Employee Signature: ______
Date: ______
AUTHORISATION FOR PAYMENTPrincipal’s Signature:
Date:
Please return completed form to HR Manager @Vine House: / Head Office Official Use Only
Hillcrest Care Policy
To be reviewed October 2013