Response 2569030

Response to request for information

Reference

2569030

Response date

9 February 2024

Request

1. Total number of staff that went on maternity leave since 2012? 
2. Average length of maternity leave mothers has taken since 2012? E.g. 9 months or 1 year 
3. Total number of mothers that returned full time to work after maternity leave? 
4. Total number of mothers that returned to work part time following maternity leave? 
5. Total number of mothers that did not return to work at all following maternity leave? 
6. Number of stress absences after turning to work post birth in the first 2 years? 
7. How many management instructions or disciplinaries related to mothers returning to work post birth? E.g. off for too many periods of time 
8. What is your policy for staff needing time off to take care of their children or take their children to doctors’ appointments? 
9. Do staff have to take unpaid leave to take care of their sick children, or do they get paid? 
10. Do you carry out a health and safety risk assessment for pregnant women? 
11. What is your maternity pay policy? 
12. Are women explained their pregnancy rights when they tell their employer/manager they are pregnant? 
13. Total number of employment tribunal claims since 2012 taken by mothers against the Council for any case with ‘maternity’ or ‘pregnancy’ mentioned since 2012? 
14. Reason for employment tribunal claims if stated. 

Total number of successful tribunals claims against the Council for any case with ‘maternity’ or ‘pregnancy’ mentioned since 2012? 

Response

1. Total number of staff that went on maternity leave since 2012?
   • Since January 2012 we have had 42 employees who went on maternity leave
2. Average length of maternity leave mothers has taken since 2012? E.g. 9 months or 1 year 
   • 274.5 days – Approx. 9 months
3. Total number of mothers that returned full time to work after maternity leave?
   • From January 2012 to present 18 employees have returned full time
4. Total number of mothers that returned to work part time following maternity leave? 
   • From January 2012 to present 22 employees have returned part time
5. Total number of mothers that did not return to work at all following maternity leave?
   • From January 2012 to present 2 employees did not return to work following maternity leave
6. Number of stress absences after turning to work post birth in the first 2 years?
   • 6
7. How many management instructions or disciplinaries related to mothers returning to work post birth? E.g. off for too many periods of time 
   • Nil
8. What is your policy for staff needing time off to take care of their children or take their children to doctors’ appointments?
   • The Council have a dependants leave policy which covers time off to care for their children in the event of an emergency or sudden illness. This does not include time off for doctors appointments
9. Do staff have to take unpaid leave to take care of their sick children, or do they get paid?
   • The Council’s dependants leave policy offered a reasonable amount of paid emergency leave to care for a child who is ill.
10. Do you carry out a health and safety risk assessment for pregnant women? 
    • This is role dependant and would depend on whether there are risks identified. Whilst we would consider risk on a case by case basis on deciding whether to undertake a risk assessment we would also undertake an assessment in any role where concerns are flagged by the employee.
11. What is your maternity pay policy? 
    • Employees will be entitled to take advantage of the enhanced terms for maternity pay under
      the RBC maternity scheme where they:
      Have been employed by RBC (or another Local Authority or certain other qualifying bodies)
      for at least a year at the beginning of the 11th week before the EWC and remain employed
      until immediately before the 15th week before the EWC
      Intend to return to work at RBC for at least three months after taking their entitled period of
      maternity leave.
      Occupational maternity pay will be paid during weeks 7 to 18 of an employee’s maternity
      leave, and the employee is entitled to receive half of their normal weekly earnings for a
      period of 12 weeks. After the 12-week period, employees will revert to statutory maternity
      pay at the lower rate.
12. Are women explained their pregnancy rights when they tell their employer/manager they are pregnant? 
    • All employees have access to our maternity leave policy which sets out rights.
13. Total number of employment tribunal claims since 2012 taken by mothers against the Council for any case with ‘maternity’ or ‘pregnancy’ mentioned since 2012?
    • Nil
14. Reason for employment tribunal claims if stated. 
    • Not applicable
15. Total number of successful tribunals claims against the Council for any case with ‘maternity’ or ‘pregnancy’ mentioned since 2012?
    • Not applicable