Returning to work after SPL

When an employee’s combined period of leave (any combination of SPL/maternity/paternity and adoption) totals 26 weeks or less, an employee has the right to return to the same job in which they were employed before they went on leave (if it is still available). This right is unaffected if unpaid parental leave of up to four weeks is also taken.

Where the combined period of leave exceeds 26 weeks, or SPL was taken consecutively with more than four weeks of unpaid parental leave, the employee will normally return to the same job in which they were employed before they went on leave (if it is still available). However, if there is reason other than redundancy which means that it is not reasonably practicable for the University to permit them to return to the same job, they are entitled to return to a different job which is both suitable for them and appropriate in the circumstances, on terms and conditions that are no less favourable than they would have been had the employee not been absent (unless a redundancy situation has arisen or a fixed-term contract has come to an end).

Employees have the right to request flexible working (ie a change to their hours, times or place of work) and the employing department must deal with the request in accordance with the University's flexible working request procedure. If an employee wishes to work a flexible working pattern on a temporary basis to ease their return to work, they should discuss this with their department as soon as possible. It may be possible to use accrued annual leave for this purpose.

Employees returning from family leave may also have a separate entitlement to Parental Leave which is a period of unpaid leave.

If a woman who has recently given birth or is breast-feeding, is unable to continue in her post on designated health and safety grounds (eg due to work involving handling harmful chemicals), the University's Safety Office, University's Occupational Health Service and your HR Business Partner should be contacted for advice and the next steps.