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attended the class and indicate the circumstances which caused you not to be able to comply with the
requisite notification. If you are unable to attend one full set of classes (other than the last 3) during
a pregnancy due to circumstances beyond your control, including:
• miscarriage;
• the premature birth of the baby concerned; or
• illness
You are entitled during a subsequent pregnancy to such time off from work without loss of pay, as is
necessary to attend the class.
3.8.2 Time off for antenatal and postnatal care
You are entitled to take paid time off during your normal working hours for medical or related
appointments (defined as appointments for the purpose of an examination or test under the direction
of a registered medical practitioner) and you are also entitled to take paid time off for medical or
related appointments up to 22 weeks after the birth of your child (at least two weeks of your minimum
period of maternity leave of twenty six weeks must be taken before, and four weeks taken after the
birth of your child), although wherever possible you should arrange your appointments at the start or
end of your working day to minimise disruption to the Company.

3.8.3 Qualifying Conditions
In order to avail of paid time off as specified above, you must notify the Company of the appointment
as soon as practicable, and in any event not later than two weeks before the date of the appointment
unless this is not possible through no fault of your own.

You should advise your manager that you will be absent as far in advance of your appointment as
possible and you may be asked to produce your appointment card.

3.8.4 Minimum maternity leave
You are entitled to a 26-week period of minimum maternity leave irrespective of your length of service
or the number of hours you work each week. During this minimum maternity you may be entitled to
Maternity Benefit (MB) from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The Company but does not
pay any additional maternity benefit.

3.8.5 Extension of maternity leave
Where your date of confinement occurs after the expected date of confinement (as defined in the
Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993 the minimum period of maternity is extended if necessary by
up to four weeks to ensure that you have four weeks of maternity leave after the birth of your child.

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.

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