Page 37 - EQA Employee Handbook Feb 2020 v1

3.8.6 Additional maternity leave
You are also entitled to take a further period of 16 weeks’ unpaid maternity leave, irrespective of
whether you have taken an extension of maternity leave, but this period is not covered by maternity
benefit either from social welfare or from the company.

3.8.7 Health and Safety Leave
If due to the Provisions of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 and the Safety, Health &
Welfare at Work (General Applications) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 it is necessary to place you
on Health and Safety leave on grounds of pregnancy, recently giving birth or breast feeding you will
be paid for the first 3 days. Thereafter you may be entitled to Social Welfare Benefits.

3.8.8 Father’s entitlement to maternity leave
Fathers are only entitled to maternity leave if the mother dies within 24 weeks of the birth. In these
tragic circumstances, the father may be entitled to a period of leave, the extent of which depends on
the actual date of the mother's death. Where a father qualifies for leave under these circumstances,
he also has an optional right to the additional maternity leave.

3.8.9 Paternity Leave and Paternity Benefit

The Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 provides for statutory paternity leave of 2 weeks from
employment or self-employment.

Paternity Benefit is a payment for employed and self-employed people who are on
paternity leave from work and covered by social insurance (PRSI). It is paid for 2 weeks
and is available for any child born or adopted on or after 1 September 2016. You can start
paternity leave at any time within the first 6 months following the birth or adoption
placement.

You should apply for the payment 4 weeks before you intend to go on paternity leave (12
weeks if you are self-employed). Paternity leave days must be taken consecutively, and all
dates must be agreed with the David or Christine Daly in advance.

If you are already on certain social welfare payments, then you may get half-rate Paternity
Benefit.

You must also satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions.

3.8.10 When can employees start their maternity leave?
You can start your maternity leave up to 14 weeks before the end of the expected week of
confinement, but it must not be later than two weeks before the end of the expected week of
confinement and you must not take less than four weeks after the end of the expected week of
confinement.
3.8.11 Reduction of Working Hours to Facilitate Breast feeding
An employee who is breastfeeding will be entitled to reduce her hours by 1 hour per day for the
purposes of breastfeeding other than in the workplace, if the Company has not requested her to utilise
facilities provided by the Company. For the purposes of the 2004 Act "breastfeeding" means
breastfeeding a child or expressing breast milk and feeding it to a child immediately or storing it for
the purposes of feeding it to a child at a later time. This entitlement may be availed of for up to 26
weeks after the date of birth of the child. Such a reduction of hours will comprise of one 60-minute
period, two 30-minute periods, or three 20-minute periods as agreed with your manager. Part time
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