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Working Hours & Paternity and Maternity Leave

Dr Rajesh Varma

NHS Employers : The 2016 contract is safer and fairer for doctors and dentists in training and for patients

What is the European Working Time Directive?

The European Working Time Directive (EWTD) is an EU initiative designed to prevent employers requiring their workforce to work excessively long hours, with implications for health and safety. The UK version of the EWTD is also known as the Working Time Regulations (WTR). Both terms may be used.

 Overview

The Directive reduces the working week to an and there are further regulations relating to break periods and holiday allowance, such as:  

  • Average working week of ≤48 hours (calculated over 6 months)

  • one day off each week OR two days off every 2 weeks

  • 5.6 weeks (28 days) paid leave each year

  • 20min rest break every 6 hours 

  • 11 consecutive hours rest in any 24hr period

  • Maximum shift length 13 hours

  • Maximum of four consecutive long (>10 hours) shifts with a minimum of 48 hours rest rostered immediately following the conclusion of the fourth shift

Paternity Leave

When you take time off because your partner’s having a baby, adopting a child or having a baby through a surrogacy arrangement you might be eligible for:

  1. 1 or 2 weeks’ paid Paternity Leave (from baby birth and end within 56 days of the birth)

  2. Paternity Pay (statutory weekly rate of Paternity Pay is £148.68)

  3. Shared Parental Leave and Pay

  4. Unpaid leave to accompany a pregnant woman to 2 antenatal appointments as the baby’s parent

Maternity pay and leave

When you take time off to have a baby you might be eligible for:

  1. Statutory Maternity Leave
    Ordinary Maternity Leave - first 26 weeks

    Additional Maternity Leave - last 26 weeks
    The earliest you can start your leave is 11 weeks before the expected week of childbirth

  2. Statutory Maternity Pay is paid for up to 39 weeks. You get:

    90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks

    £148.68 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks

  3. Paid time off for antenatal care

  4. Extra help from the government Universal Credit, Sure Start Maternity Grant