Big Blue Door’s official maternity, paternity and shared leave policy is available via Google Drive for all employees. This summary is provided to help give an overview of the support we provide - please discuss wider details with your individual line manager. We are a very open employer and understand that starting or enlarging a family in any circumstances is an incredibly exciting time, so many congratulations - we will endeavour to support you!
Maternity/adoption leave and pay is available for employees of Big Blue Door who have become pregnant or who have been matched with a child for adoption.
Shared parental leave for the partner of any such employee whether or not they work for Big Blue Door (subject to certain qualifying criteria); is also available.
Your maternity or adoption leave
If you are an employee who is pregnant or adopting:
- You will be entitled to take up to 52 weeks maternity/adoption leave, irrespective of your length of service.
- If 15 weeks before the expected birth or adoption you have been employed by Big Blue Door continuously for at least 26 weeks and your average weekly earnings are at least equal to the lower earnings limit for National Insurance contributions, we will pay you statutory maternity/adoption pay.
- Statutory maternity/adoption pay is paid for up to 39 weeks; 90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks, and for the remaining 33 weeks you will be paid the statutory rate set by the Government or 90% of your average weekly earning, whichever is lower.
- If you qualify for employer statutory maternity/adoption pay, as described above, we will pay the first two weeks of your statutory maternity/adoption pay at your standard employment rate. After these two weeks your statutory maternity/adoption pay will revert to the statutory rate, as described above.
If you are a father to be, adopter or will share the responsibility with a partner for bringing up a child:
- You will be entitled to two consecutive weeks’ paternity leave if 15 weeks before the expected birth or adoption you have been employed by Big Blue Door continuously for at least 26 weeks.
- If your average weekly earnings are at least equal to the lower earning limit for National Insurance contributions, we will pay you statutory paternity pay.
- Statutory paternity pay is paid at your standard employment rate.