Paternity Leave Policy

Transcription

1 Paternity Leave Policy Aim of the Policy The Kelda Group is committed to treating all employees fairly and consistently, and recognises the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The following company paternity provisions meet, and in some respects exceed, the normal statutory provisions. Should you require any further advice or guidance, please contact HR. Objectives of the Policy All colleagues who expect to have responsibility for the upbringing of a newly born or adopted child and who satisfy the eligibility criteria set out below have a statutory right to a period of paid paternity leave. In addition to the statutory entitlement, the company provides an enhanced scheme which operates under the same qualifying rules. Ordinary Paternity Leave is the right to take one or two weeks consecutive leave in the first eight weeks following the birth of the child, providing an employee has 26 weeks continuous service in the 15 th week before the expected week of childbirth or the expected date of adoption. Additional Paternity Leave is in addition to Ordinary Paternity Leave and is subject to the qualifying criteria detailed below. Additional Paternity Leave is the right to take up to a total of 26 weeks leave after the birth of the child, or after the date the employee is matched for adoption, once the mother has returned to work from her maternity/adoption/annual leave. Scope of the Policy The Paternity Leave Policy applies to all colleagues in Kelda Group Ltd and its wholly owned group companies in the UK, including Yorkshire Water Services, Loop, Keyland Developments, and Kelda Water Services which includes KWS Alpha, KWS Defence and KWS Grampian. Definitions Table EWC EDA KIT days OPL APL OPP APP SMP MA Expected week of childbirth Expected date of adoption Keeping in touch days Ordinary paternity leave Additional paternity leave Ordinary paternity pay Additional paternity pay Statutory maternity pay Maternity allowance 1

2 Process and Application Section 1: The Process The chart below guides you through the different steps to the paternity leave process. You will be fully supported each step of the way by your manager and Human Resources. It is expected that your manager will maintain regular communication with you during any period of Additional Paternity leave. The flow chart below highlights the essential meetings that are recommended, as a minimum, to take place. It may be that you and your manager meet on a more regular basis through informal 1:1 s. Step 1 Inform your manager in writing of your intention to take Paternity Leave No later than 15 th week before EWC for OPL. For APL you need to provide at least 8 weeks notice in writing. Step 2 For Additional Paternity Leave, HR will liaise with you regarding your entitlements Step 3 For Additional Paternity Leave, your manager will arrange a meeting with you to discuss your leave Step 4 HR will write to you confirming your entitlements during Additional Paternity Leave Step 5 Step 6 Commence Paternity Leave For Additional Paternity Leave HR will write to you to confirm your return to work date Step 7 For Additional Paternity Leave your manager will meet with you to discuss your future plans and to give work updates Step 8 Return to work Step 9 Your manager will meet with you to welcome you back 2

3 Section 2: Ordinary Paternity Leave Am I eligible for Ordinary Paternity Leave? To qualify for Ordinary Paternity Leave (OPL) / Ordinary Paternity Pay (OPP), colleagues must: have 26 weeks continuous service in the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth (EWC) or the expected date of adoption (EDA); have, or expect to have, responsibility for the upbringing of the child; and be the biological father of the child; or be married to, the partner, or civil partner of the child s mother or adopter; and must not be taking adoption leave in respect of the child. The definition of a partner (who is not married to, or the civil partner of the mother) is someone who lives with the mother in an enduring family relationship and is not a relative. Colleagues will be treated as having satisfied the conditions for OPL / OPP if they would have been satisfied but for the fact that: the child is born before the 15th week before its EWC; the child was stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy or has died; the child s mother has died. How much Ordinary Paternity Leave am I entitled to? All employees who satisfy the terms of eligibility are entitled to Statutory Ordinary Paternity Leave (SOPL) for a period of either: 1 week; or 2 consecutive weeks. It is entirely up to you how long you take. When can I take my Ordinary Paternity Leave? The leave must be taken during the 8 weeks immediately following the birth of the child, or if the baby is premature, the EWC, or the date on which the child is placed for adoption. It is up to you when you decide to commence your paternity leave. Who do I need to inform and by when? In or before the 15th week before the EWC, or as soon as is practicable; or in the case of adoption no more than 7 days after the date on which the adopter is notified of having been matched with a child, you should provide the company with the following information: written notification that you intend to be absent from work for reason of the birth, or placement for adoption of a child for which you will be responsible, and a declaration that you meet the eligibility criteria as specified; the EWC or EDA, and if the birth has already occurred the date of birth of the child; the length of the period of leave; the date on which the period of leave should begin; A completed form SC3 (Becoming a Parent) or SC4 (Becoming an Adoptive Parent). All forms are available from Kelda Payroll. Please note that Paternity Pay cannot be calculated without this notification. 3

4 If you wish to vary either the length of, or the start date of your OPL you must give 28 days notice before the original specified date. Within 28 days of the birth you must inform the Company of the actual date of birth of the child. Section 3: Ordinary Paternity Pay What will I receive? Legislation states that eligible employees are entitled to one whole week, or two consecutive weeks Statutory Ordinary Paternity Pay (SOPP), at the current rate or 90% of the employee s average weekly earnings if they are less than SOPP. The company pays enhanced Ordinary Paternity Pay (Company Paternity Pay), which is paid in addition to SOPP. Company Paternity Pay Week 1 normal salary inclusive of SOPP entitlement; Week 2 SOPP only or 90% of average weekly earnings if they are less than SOPP. Please refer to Section 6 (Holidays) and Section 7 (Benefits) for confirmation of the impact of Ordinary Paternity Leave on your other terms and conditions of employment. Please refer to Section 8 (Regular Deductions) for confirmation of how Ordinary Paternity Leave will impact on any regular deductions from your salary. Section 4: Additional Paternity Leave What is Additional Paternity Leave? Regulations concerning the new right to Additional Paternity Leave (APL) came into force on 6 th April Eligible fathers will have the right to take up to 26 weeks APL. The right will also apply to husbands, partners or civil partners (who are not the child s father), but who expect to have the main responsibility (apart from the mother) for the child s upbringing. The regulations also apply to adoptions. If APL is taken when the mother would still have been entitled to, and had at least two weeks of her Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) or Maternity Allowance (MA) remaining, Additional Statutory Paternity Pay (ASPP) will be paid to the eligible employee until the mother s entitlement would have run out. Am I eligible for Additional Paternity Leave? To qualify for APL, employees must: be the child s father, or be the husband, partner, or civil partner of the child s mother, or an employee who has been matched for adoption; and have been continuously employed by the Kelda Group for a minimum of 26 weeks ending in the 15th week before the EWC or the EDA; and remain in employment with the Kelda Group until the week before APL commences; and have, or expect to have, the main parental responsibility (apart from the mother) for the upbringing of the child and be taking the leave to care for the child. 4

5 In addition, the child s mother must: qualify for maternity leave, SMP or MA; and have returned to work and ceased to receive any SMP or MA payments. Not be on annual leave. How much Additional Paternity Leave (APL) am I entitled to and when can I take it? All employees who satisfy the terms of eligibility set out above are entitled to: a minimum of 2 weeks and a maximum of 26 weeks APL; APL can be taken no earlier than 20 weeks after the child is born, or matched for adoption, and must end no later than the child s first birthday; APL must be taken in one continuous period and in multiples of complete weeks. the mother of the child must have returned to work before APL begins, but APL does not have to begin directly after the mother returns to work; there can be a break between the two; employees can take only one period of APL, regardless of the number of children born as a result of the birth, or the number of children matched for adoption. There is no entitlement to extra leave in the event of a multiple birth, or parents who are matched for adoption with siblings. Providing it is within the parameters outlined above, it is entirely up to you when you start APL and how long you take. If I want to take Additional Paternity Leave (APL) who do I need to inform and by when? You need to give a minimum of 8 weeks written notice of your intention to take APL. You should set out your notice to take leave in writing to your line manager. The APL will be confirmed back to you within 28 days of notice being given. APL and pay is based on a system of self-certification whereby mothers and employees who wish to take up this entitlement must provide details of their eligibility to their respective employers (see below). How does the APL self-certification system work? You must provide the following information: 1. A leave notice ; this should include: a) the expected week of childbirth (EWC); b) the child s actual date of birth; c) the start and end dates for the period of APL; and d) the start and end dates of your eligibility for APP (if relevant). 2. A signed employee declaration confirming that: a) the information contained in the leave notice is correct (this is only required if you are applying for APP); b) the purpose of the APL is to care for the child; c) you are the child s father, or are married to or are the partner or civil partner of the child s mother; and d) apart from the mother, you will have the main responsibility for the child s upbringing. 5

6 3. A separate signed declaration must be given by the mother at the same time, which needs to include: a) the mother s name, address and NI number; b) the date on which the mother intends to return to work from her maternity leave; c) confirmation that the employee applying for APL is the father of the child or her husband/partner/civil partner and has, or expects to have, the main responsibility (apart from the mother) for the child s upbringing; d) that, to her knowledge, no one else is applying for APL in respect of the child; e) the mother s consent to the applicant s employer processing the information that she has provided. If the employee is applying for APP, the mother s declaration must also confirm: a) that she is eligible for SMP or MA; b) the start date of her SMP or MA; c) that she has notified her employer that she is returning to work; and d) that, to her knowledge, no one else is applying for APP in respect of the child. Please contact HR if you require help providing the necessary information. Within 28 days of providing your line manager your leave notice you will need to provide a copy of the child s birth certificate and details of the mother s employer. Employees should be aware that ad hoc compliance checks by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) may take place and financial penalties could be awarded for any abuse of the system. Further, if employees deliberately provide false information then the matter will be investigated in line with the Conduct and Capability Policy and this may result in disciplinary action. Please note that Paternity Pay cannot be calculated without full completion of HMRC form SC7. Please contact Kelda Payroll to ensure completion of the correct notification form. What do I need to do if I want to cancel my Additional Paternity Leave or change the date it starts? You can request a change of leave dates, or cancel the APL before it has begun providing you give at least 6 weeks notice in writing, or as much notice as is reasonably practicable. Following receipt of your written notice, the new start and end dates of your APL will be confirmed to you in writing within 28 days. There is no provision for you to extend your APL once it has started, although you can request to return early from APL, providing you give at least 6 weeks written notice of an early return. If you fail to provide 6 weeks notice to change the end date of your APL, you may be required to remain on APL until up to 6 weeks after you provide the notice of the intended end date. What contact will I have with my manager during my Additional Paternity Leave? Before you commence your APL you should agree with your manager what kind of contact you will have with them during your leave. For example, how do you want to be told about changes happening at work or about new job vacancies? Keeping in touch can help make it easier for both you and your manager, when it is time to return to work. You are not obliged to attend work or any events such as training courses during your APL, but if you both mutually agree, you can work up to 10 days during your APL period. These are known as keeping in touch days (KIT) and do not impact on your Statutory Additional Paternity Leave or pay. 6

7 These days can be taken in a block or may be split up over the APL period. If you work a full or part day your Statutory Additional Paternity Leave Pay will be enhanced so that you will receive one days normal pay for each (KIT) day worked. Attending work for part of a day will count as one (KIT) day. Section 5: Additional Paternity Pay Am I eligible for Additional Paternity Pay? Employees who are eligible for APL may also be eligible for Additional Paternity Pay (APP). To qualify for APP, employees must meet the eligibility requirements for APL and, in addition to this: must earn at least the lower earnings limit for national insurance for a period of 8 weeks ending with the 15 th week before the child is due / child is matched for adoption; and the mother must have stopped claiming SMP or MA and must have returned to work with at least two weeks of her SMP or MA entitlement left. How much Additional Paternity Pay will I receive? Statutory Additional Paternity Pay is paid at the same rate as Statutory Maternity Pay, or 90% of average weekly earnings if they are less than SPP. Employees will be paid Statutory Additional Paternity Pay for any period of APL that falls within the unexpired part of the mother s 39 week SMP or MA period. APL taken after this period has ended would be unpaid. For example, if the mother takes 30 weeks statutory maternity leave and pay, 9 weeks of her SMP period remains unexpired. Employees who then take 20 weeks APL following on immediately will be eligible for Statutory Additional Paternity Pay for the first 9 weeks of that leave. The remainder of the APL would be unpaid. If there is a gap between the end of the mother s maternity leave period and the start of the APL period, employees will lose some of their entitlement to Statutory Additional Paternity Pay. For example, if the mother returns to work with 5 weeks of her SMP period remaining, but you don t start your APL until 2 weeks later; you will only be entitled to 3 weeks Additional Paternity Pay. How will my Additional Paternity Leave pay be affected if I participate in a salary sacrifice saver scheme? APL pay is a standard fixed rate. Participation in a salary sacrifice scheme will not affect your entitlement to the fixed rate of Statutory Additional Paternity Pay unless your average pre-tax weekly earnings (after any salary sacrifice) during the period used to calculate these payments are less. Section 6: Holiday Entitlement How many holidays will I accrue while on Paternity Leave? You will continue to accrue your holiday entitlement as normal during Paternity Leave (Ordinary and/or Additional). If you are full time, you will accrue your normal holiday entitlement and will accrue time off in lieu for any bank holidays that fall within your Paternity Leave (Ordinary and/or Additional) period. These will be added to your holiday entitlement. If you are part-time your holiday entitlement will be calculated as normal and will be inclusive of bank holidays. 7

8 When can I take my annual leave? Holidays may be added to the beginning or the end of your Paternity Leave (Ordinary and/or Additional). You should note however if you are eligible for Statutory Additional Paternity Pay, if the child s mother has already returned from maternity / adoption leave and you choose to take holidays before your APL, this will reduce the number of weeks Statutory Additional Paternity Pay that you are entitled to receive. You should ensure that where your APL spans two financial years that you have used your full holiday entitlement before 31 st March of that year. It is at the discretion of your line manager to carry annual leave over into the next leave year. What happens if I return to part time hours? If you return to work on a part-time or job share basis your annual leave will be accrued on a pro-rata basis from the date of return and will be calculated in hours rather than days. Your manager and the HR team will discuss with you in detail the changes to your contractual terms and conditions. More details on part-time working are available on HR Online. Section 7: Benefits How will Paternity Leave impact on my terms and conditions? During any periods of OPL and/or APL you will continue to be an employee and there will be no break in service. During both OPL and APL you will continue to receive any contractual benefits that you normally receive, e.g. company car, health care, contractual annual leave etc., except for remuneration, i.e. salary. What will happen to my shift allowance / contractual overtime? If you receive any contractual payments on top of your basic salary, for example contractual overtime or shift allowance, you will receive these contractual payments during OPL. These payments will be included in the calculation of your Company Paternity Pay. You will receive these contractual payments on top of your Statutory Paternity Pay during OPL only. You will not receive these contractual payments on top of Statutory Paternity Pay during any period of APL. What will happen to my company vehicle? If you have a company vehicle (either Reward User or Business Needs User) you will continue to receive this benefit throughout your OPL and/or APL period. If you receive a cash alternative instead of a company vehicle please see below. If you make a contribution towards your company vehicle you will continue to make contributions until nil pay is reached (assuming you are eligible for Statutory Additional Paternity Pay). You can then choose to: a) return the vehicle; or b) retain the vehicle and arrange to repay any outstanding contributions accrued during any period of nil pay when you return to work. If you would like to return the vehicle, you should discuss this in the first instance with your line manager. Further information can be obtained from the Fleet Strategy Manager. 8

9 When will my car allowance stop? If you are in receipt of a car allowance (as an alternative to a company vehicle) you will continue to receive the allowance throughout Ordinary Paternity Leave. The allowance will be included in the calculation of normal salary and will not be paid during any period of Additional Paternity Leave. What will happen to my company van? A Company van is only available to you for business travel and commuting. Therefore, if you have a company van, you may be required to return it on the day you commence your Paternity leave (Ordinary and/or Additional). Dependent upon the duration of your Paternity Leave and/or whether the van is needed elsewhere in the business, your line manager may agree to you retaining the van, however, this must not be used for any private purpose during your Paternity Leave. Pay for Performance (Bands 4-6) Any period of OPL will not affect any quarterly performance award. If you take APL then you will not be eligible to receive a quarterly award. Upon your return to work, you will be eligible to receive a performance award once you have worked at least 2 months of a quarter. Performance in the Round (Blue Green Pay Zones) Any period of OPL will not affect any quarterly performance award. If you take APL then you will not be eligible to receive a quarterly award. Upon your return to work, you will be eligible to receive a performance award once you have worked at least 2 months of a quarter. Annual Incentive Plan (Indigo Pay Zone and above) Any period of OPL will not affect your quarterly performance assessment or your bonus payment. You will not be eligible to receive a performance bonus for any period of APL. Annual Incentive Plan (Band 3 and above) Any period of OPL will not affect your quarterly performance assessment or your bonus payment. You will not be eligible to receive a performance bonus for any period of APL. Mobile Phone Bills If you have a work mobile phone and intend to use it for personal use during your period of OPL and/or APL, you must make appropriate arrangements to reimburse the company for the cost. If you are not able to access your phone bill whilst you are on leave, you should ask your manager to provide you with a copy on a monthly basis. Section 8: Regular Deductions Regular deductions will not be affected during any period of OPL. The information set out below therefore outlines how regular deductions will be affected when taking APL. 9

10 What happens to the regular payments / deductions from my salary? Pension Contributions If I do not participate in Pension Saver You will continue to pay pension contributions while you are receiving any Company Paternity Pay, Statutory Ordinary Paternity Pay and/or Statutory Additional Paternity Pay (assuming you are eligible). During periods of no pay, a gap in pensionable service may apply unless you arrange to pay contributions directly to ensure continuity of pensionable service. Alternatively, Payroll can arrange to collect the arrears of contributions from you upon your return to work. The Pensions Team can provide further information. If I participate in Pension Saver If you participate in Pension Saver, you will pay pension contributions as normal during any period of Ordinary Paternity Leave. Pension contributions will be paid by the company for the full duration of time that you are in receipt of Statutory Additional Paternity Pay unless you choose to opt out of the scheme under the lifestyle change rules. For more information please refer to the Pension Saver Q & A s that are available on HR Online. Hospital Funds/Union Subscriptions Assuming you are eligible for Statutory Paternity Pay (Ordinary and/or Additional), payments will continue to be deducted from your salary until nil pay is reached. Once nil pay is reached you will need to make alternative arrangements for payments to be made. Private Medical Insurance (Band 3 and Indigo Pay Zone and above) Cover will continue during any period of OPL and/or APL and, assuming you are eligible for Statutory Additional Paternity Pay, then deductions will continue until nil pay is reached. Any payments which have not been made will be made upon return to work. Fuel Provision through Company credit card (Band 2 and Violet Pay Zone and above) This will continue to be provided during any period of OPL and/or APL. Car Loan Assuming you are eligible to receive Statutory Paternity Pay (Ordinary and/or Additional), payments will continue to be deducted from your salary until nil pay is reached. Payments can be deferred during Paternity Leave, and be readjusted or extended if necessary. Payroll can provide further details. Once you are on nil pay, deductions for your car loan will be put on hold, until you are in receipt of a salary again. Water Bill Saver If you participate in Water Bill Saver, you will continue to receive free water and sewerage services from the company unless you choose to opt out of the scheme under the lifestyle change rules. Water Bill Saver payments are different to other deductions as they are paid through salary sacrifice and cannot be offset against Statutory Paternity Pay. Therefore, the company will continue to provide your Water Bill Saver payments for you for the duration of time that you are in receipt of Statutory Additional Paternity Pay. 10

11 For more information please refer to the Water Bill Saver Q & A s that are available on HR Online. Cycle to Work Scheme (Cyclescheme) You will continue to participate in Cyclescheme during your paternity leave. Cyclescheme payments are different to other deductions as they are paid through salary sacrifice and cannot be offset against Statutory Paternity Pay. While you are in receipt of company paternity pay, you will continue to participate in Cyclescheme as normal (as a salary sacrifice). The Company will continue to provide your Cyclescheme payments for you for the duration of the time that you are in receipt of Statutory Additional Paternity Pay. Leeds Credit Union If you have savings products with Leeds Credit Union, assuming you are eligible to receive Statutory Paternity Pay (Ordinary and/or Additional), deductions will continue until nil pay is reached. If you would like to review these payments during your Paternity Leave please contact payroll for more information. Childcare Vouchers You will continue to receive childcare vouchers during your Paternity Leave (Ordinary and/or Additional) unless you choose to opt out of the scheme under the lifestyle change rules. Childcare vouchers are different to other deductions as they are paid through salary sacrifice and cannot be offset against Statutory Paternity Pay. Therefore, the company will continue to pay your childcare vouchers for you (even though you are not sacrificing salary), up to a maximum of 243 per month (dependent on your maximum eligibility under the childcare voucher tax rules) for the duration of time that you are in receipt of Statutory Additional Paternity Pay. On returning to work please contact Payroll to arrange for the re-commencement of any voluntary deductions which have been suspended. Section 9: Returning to Work When do I need to tell my manager when I will be returning? Before you commence APL, within your leave notice you must inform your manager when you will be returning to work. This will allow your manager to plan ahead and ensure resources in the team are managed effectively in your absence. The latest date you can return to work is 26 weeks after commencing APL, or by the time the child reaches 12 months of age. There is no provision for you to extend your APL once it has started, although you can request to return early from APL, providing you give at least 6 weeks written notice of an early return. If you fail to provide 6 weeks notice to bring forward the end date of your APL, the company could postpone your return for up to 6 weeks. Do I have the right to return to the same job? Yes, providing you take no more than 26 weeks APL, you are entitled to return to the same job, on the same terms and conditions, in which you were employed before your APL commenced. If you take longer than 26 weeks APL, which could be the case in exceptional circumstances (see below for examples), the right to return to the same job does not apply. In these circumstances, you are 11

12 entitled to return to the same job, unless this is not reasonably practical, in which case you would be offered a suitable alternative position, with no less favourable terms and conditions. Examples of circumstances where leave may extend beyond the typical maximum of 26 weeks APL: if the child s mother has died, employees may take a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of 52 weeks APL at any time up to the child s first birthday; or if you take APL as part of a combination of periods of statutory leave that includes any period of additional maternity leave or additional adoption leave, or a period of parental leave lasting more than 4 weeks. Further information and guidance can be obtained from HR. What happens if I decide not to return to work after APL? If you decide that you do not want to return to work following your APL, you should inform your manager in writing as soon as possible and give your contractual notice. During your APL period you will continue to be employed by the company and will be entitled to receive the benefits detailed in this fact pack, irrespective of whether you return to work at the end of your APL. Can I request a change in my working arrangements? If you are thinking about changing your normal working patterns upon return from APL, you can make a request for flexible working. You have the right to request flexible working and therefore your application may not always be approved by your manager. Sometimes you may be able to work more flexibly but not necessarily in the pattern or number of hours which is your first choice. This will depend on how practical your request is to implement from a business perspective. Colleagues are entitled to make a request for flexible working, if they:- Have worked continuously for 26 weeks for the Kelda Group and; Have not made another application to work flexibly during the last 12 months. For more information on flexible working and the process please visit HR Online / Fair Treatment & Worklife Balance / Flexible Working Policy. Am I protected from redundancy whilst on Additional Paternity Leave (APL)? Any employee on APL whose position is made redundant is entitled to be offered any suitable alternative employment that is available. The right to be offered a suitable alternative vacancy applies equally to employees on APL, employees on Maternity Leave and employees on Adoption Leave. Employees taking APL are protected from dismissal, detriment or discrimination due to reasons that they have requested and/or have taken APL. Section 10: Unforeseen Events If things do not go to plan what support is available and what will happen? In the unfortunate event that things do not go to plan, your manager and HR will be available to guide you on what support is available through the Occupational Health Department. 12

13 Section 11: Childcare What is Childcare Saver? You can make savings on childcare costs by converting some of your salary to childcare vouchers. The Childcare Vouchers Direct scheme is provided by the business in partnership with Edenred to help parents and legal guardians save money on their childcare costs. The financial advantages for you are that neither income tax nor National Insurance are payable on a specified eligible amount that you spend on childcare in this way. For parents who joined the Childcare Voucher Scheme up to 5 th April 2011, the maximum statutory tax/ni free amount of salary that can be sacrificed to childcare vouchers is 243 per month. The legislation for Childcare Vouchers changed on 6 th April 2011 and this affected higher rate and additional rate tax payers who applied to join the scheme on or after 6 th April Higher rate tax payers who join the scheme on or after 6 th April 2011 are able to receive 28 per week ( 124 per month) in vouchers tax and NI exempt. Additional rate tax payers who join the scheme on or after 6 th April 2011 are able to receive 22 per week ( 97 per month) in vouchers tax and NI exempt. Basic rate taxpayers who join the scheme on or after 6 th April 2011 are still eligible to receive 55 per week ( 243 per month) in vouchers tax and NI exempt. The purpose of the variable maximum amount of vouchers which are exempt from tax and NI is to standardise the income tax savings. Please see example shown below. Rate of Income tax Weekly tax exempt entitlement Weekly tax saving Basic Rate 20% Higher Rate 40% Additional Rate 50% If you would like to see further details of the Childcare Vouchers Direct scheme, please log onto the Edenred website at You can also find more information under Your Benefits or on HR Online. Where can I get more information on childcare? You will find more information on childcare on the following websites: Am I entitled to any leave for childcare? Dependants Leave There may be unforeseen circumstances when you may need unplanned time off work eg. if a child is sick. You are entitled to take dependants leave to cover these circumstances. Dependants leave is a statutory entitlement for parents, or individuals who have dependants, to take unpaid leave to deal with unforeseen circumstances / emergencies. Alternatively, you could take annual leave, or at your manager s discretion, work flexibly to work back lost time at a later date. 13

14 Parental Leave Parents who have completed one years service with the company are entitled to 18 weeks' unpaid parental leave for each child born or adopted. The leave can start once the child is born, or placed for adoption with the employee, or as soon as the employee has completed a years service, whichever is later. It may be taken at any time up to the child's fifth birthday (or until five years after placement in the case of adoption). Parents of disabled children can take 18 weeks unpaid parental leave up to the child's 18th birthday, if the child is entitled to disability living allowance. Individuals must give 21 days notice of their wish to take parental leave and can take a maximum of 4 weeks per year. For more detailed information on Dependants and Parental Leave please refer to HR Online. Section 12: Useful Information and Contacts What other benefits are available that may support me during my paternity leave? Favourites is an employee benefits package for colleagues in the Kelda Group. The scheme provides access to a range of products from retail vouchers to insurance schemes and savings on family days out and holidays. To see the full range of discounts and benefits please visit:- Please enter keldagroup as the unique code. Useful Contacts Kelda Payroll or Pensions Team or Occupational Health or HR General Enquiries or Addresses Payroll: Kelda Payroll, Yorkshire Water Services, Western House, Western Way, Halifax Road, Bradford, BD6 2LZ Other useful websites:- provides comprehensive information on all employment matters and employee rights at work. Version Control Last Update: 17 October 2014 Next Review Update: 22 March 2015 Policy Owner: Employee Relations 14