What is the current occupational maternity entitlement?
It has not been possible to reach agreement with the Trade Unions in respect of maternity and other conditions of service issues and therefore the Burgundy Book has not yet been updated (since 2000). However authorities will need to take account of statutory changes to maternity entitlements. The current maternity entitlements are set out in Education Employers’ Bulletin (EEB No.503) dated 20 March 2007 and accompanying appendix. These are: Teachers with one year’s continuous service with one or more local authorities at the 11th week before the EWC will receive 18 weeks Occupational Maternity Pay (OMP), as follows: • 4 weeks at full pay (SMP offset) • 2 weeks at 9/10ths of a week’s pay (SMP offset) • 12 weeks at half pay (+ SMP) This will be followed by 21 weeks Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). The remaining 13 weeks leave are unpaid. The 12 weeks of half occupational maternity pay is only payable on condition that the teacher returns to work for at least 13 weeks (see section 5 of the
