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If an employee will be taking maternity leave, they can use this model letter template as notification of their pregnancy, and when they expect it to commence.
The letter also includes a request for you to confirm whether or not they are entitled to Maternity Pay.
[Sender name]
[Sender address]
[date]
[Recipient name]
[Recipient address]
Dear [Recipient first name],
Maternity leave notification
This is to inform you that I am pregnant and wish to take maternity leave. I enclose a medical/ maternity certificate dated [date]
Need the complete Parental and family process?
Explore the Parental and family templates toolkitA maternity leave notification letter is a formal written document that is sent by an employee to their employer to inform them of their intention to take time off work due to pregnancy or childbirth. The letter usually outlines the dates of the intended leave, as well as any relevant details regarding the employee's entitlement to maternity leave, including the length of the leave and any applicable policies or procedures that must be followed.
Employers will require their employees to provide notice of their intention to take maternity leave in advance of the expected due date, in order to ensure that adequate arrangements can be made to cover the employee's absence and to comply with any applicable legal requirements.
Related HR resources and workflow
Explore the HR resources that may be relevant before and / or after using the Maternity leave notification letter, helping you understand the wider process, maintain appropriate documentation and follow a consistent approach.
Our Maternity Leave and Pay Policy Template outlines the company's provisions for maternity leave, pay entitlements, and return-to-work arrangements, ensuring compliance with legal requirements and supporting expectant mothers throughout their pregnancy and beyond.
If an employee has notified you that they intend to take maternity leave, issue this model letter template as acknowledgement, and to inform them that they are eligible for Maternity Pay.
Here are some UK employment legislations that support an employer responding to a maternity leave notification:
It is important for employers to be aware of their legal obligations and to respond promptly and appropriately to any maternity leave notifications they receive. Failure to do so may result in legal action being taken against them.
Yes. This template has been designed for organisations of all sizes, including small businesses, charities and growing employers. It follows UK employment law best practice and can be adapted to suit your organisation.
Our templates are developed with UK employment legislation, Acas guidance and HR best practice in mind and are reviewed and updated as relevant requirements change. However, every employment situation is different, so the template should be adapted to the circumstances and checked against the employee's contract and your organisation's procedures before use.
Yes, we highlight the areas of the document that you need to update with your own details, and where you need to make decisions to suit your situation. This saves you time and ensures that you meet best practice.
Yes. Once purchased, you'll be able to download it instantly. Templates are provided in editable format (such as .doc or .xls) so you can customise them easily, and in PDF format for easy sharing.
If you're looking for broader support, we also offer toolkits and library bundles that include the Maternity leave notification letter template, along with other HR templates and policies for fully managing your situation. These may be more cost-effective if you need deeper advice.
AI can produce a document quickly, but effective HR documentation needs to be more than well-written words. It needs to reflect relevant UK employment law, HR best practice, practical considerations and the circumstances in which it will be used. These resources have been professionally developed around that wider HR context, drawing on extensive practical experience, rather than simply generating a generic document from a prompt.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing parental and family processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
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