Most employers understand that for those employees who work part-time, some benefits are pro-rated (in proportion of the hours they work).

So, for example, a part-time employee’s annual leave entitlement is calculated by multiplying the number of days worked per week by 5.6. If they work three days a week, they have the right to 16.8 days of paid annual leave and if they work four days a week, they are entitled to 22.4 days.

But does the pro-rata principle apply to Keeping In Touch (KIT) days during maternity leave?

The answer is no. KIT days are not pro-rated for part-time employees, therefore even if they generally only work a three or four day week, they are still entitled to all 10 days. It is also worth noting that even if they only come in for a two hour staff meeting, this still counts as one KIT day.

Equivalent to Keeping in Touch days used during maternity leave, each parent may take 20 SPLiT days during Shared Parental Leave. Again, this is not pro-rated for part-time employees.

If you want to learn more about maternity leave, download our Employer’s Definitive Guide to Maternity Leave and Pay or speak to one of our Employment Law Advisers who can provide you with in-depth legal advice and support.