How to Manage an Employee’s Maternity Leave

How to Manage an Employee's Maternity Leave
How to Manage an Employee's Maternity Leave: A Guide for Salon Managers!
When one of your employees announces their pregnancy, it’s an exciting time, both for them and for your business. But as a manager, it’s also a moment to ensure you’re fully prepared to support your employee while meeting your responsibilities as an employer.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on what you should do, from conducting risk assessments to managing Keep In Touch (KIT) days.
Start with a risk assessment!
The first step after receiving the news is to conduct a risk assessment. UK law requires that employers ensure the health and safety of pregnant employees. Depending on your salon environment, this could mean evaluating exposure to chemicals, long periods of standing, or heavy lifting, among other potential risks.
If any risks are identified, you must take reasonable steps to remove or reduce these, whether that’s adjusting their tasks or offering them alternative work. The goal is to ensure a safe working environment throughout their pregnancy.

Record Key Dates
Once your employee has officially informed you of their pregnancy (either in writing, or via Loop HR, along with a MATB1 form from their midwife), it’s crucial to start tracking key dates. You’ll need to note:
- The expected due date
- The start date of their maternity leave (employees can begin leave up to 11 weeks before their due date)
- Any adjustments to their working pattern during pregnancy
Recording these dates will help you and your employee stay on top of the maternity leave process and ensure everything runs smoothly.

Understand Your Responsibilities Regarding Maternity Pay
As an employer, you’re responsible for managing Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). UK employment law requires that employees who meet certain criteria are entitled to up to 39 weeks of SMP.
You’ll need to calculate their pay rate and ensure it is paid at the appropriate time:
- The first 6 weeks are paid at 90% of their average weekly earnings.
- The remaining 33 weeks are paid at the statutory rate or 90% of their average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.
It’s important to keep accurate records and ensure timely payments, as this is a key part of your obligations to support the employee.
Note, Loop HR will give you the dates from which you report Pay to process maternity leave. Which Loop HR will also do for you – within Loop HR you can also opt to pay higher rates which will be recorded and reported in Loop HR Payroll.

Manage Keep In Touch (KIT) Days
Keep In Touch (KIT) days are a great way to maintain connection during maternity leave without formally ending the leave period. Employees can work up to 10 KIT days during maternity leave to stay involved with the salon, attend training, or help with key events.
The employee should decide whether they wish to use KIT days, and it’s important to agree on how these days will be used. Make sure you compensate them accordingly for any KIT days worked, which can be paid at their usual rate.
Use Loop HR Maternity feature to add KIT days to the work schedule. The hours recorded will feed directly into the Loop HR Payroll report ensuring you are compliant.
For more detialed information on maternity visit ACAS website.
Planning Their Return
As the end of their maternity leave approaches, stay in regular communication about their return date (which will show on the Employee Maternity Dashboard). Remember, employees have the right to return to the same role they left, unless a redundancy situation has arisen.
Review their schedule, as they may request reduced hours, or flexible working hours or adjustments to balance work with their new family responsibilities. Be open to discussions and consider their requests carefully. Use Loop HR Template Rotas to see how the request could impact cover.
Final Thoughts
Managing maternity leave requires careful planning, communication, and a clear understanding of your legal responsibilities. By using tools like Loop HR’s Maternity Leave feature, you can easily stay on top of important details. This will include managing key dates, and ensuring compliance with UK law, all while supporting your employee through this important life change.
If you’d like to learn more about how to manage maternity leave in your salon, feel free to reach out or book a discovery call to explore using Loop HR. Use this link to book.
Ian Egerton
Founder, Loop HR