What is Ordinary Maternity Leave?
Ordinary Maternity Leave is the first 26 weeks of maternity leave. You are entitled to this leave regardless of how long you have worked for your employer. During this time you are entitled to all of the contractual rights that you would have received if you had not been on leave. These include any special rights in your job contract such as company car or mobile phones (unless these are specifically for business use only), and you are entitled to return to the same job. The only element of your contractual rights that does not continue, is your wages or salary. See Am I entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay? to find out more about maternity pay. Additionally, your employer must not discriminate against you while you are on any part of your maternity leave.
