People Place Becoming a parent

Work/life changes

Becoming a parent

Purpose

At Bupa, we understand things change in life and at work and we want to make sure you’re ready for anything. We have a host of information available to help you understand what you need to do and how we can support you through any change.

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You're going to be a parent

First of all, may we say a huge “congratulations”! We’re sure you have a lot to think about--as well as celebrating--and here at Bupa, we want to make it easy for you to access all the information you’ll need. Whether you or your partner are pregnant, adopting, or having a child through surrogacy, our policies are designed to guide you on your journey towards becoming a parent.

No doubt you are looking forward to becoming a parent, so it's important for you to let your manager know your good news as soon as possible. If relevant, you need to provide them with either a MATB1 certificate confirming your expected week of childbirth, or confirmation of your expected placement date for adoption or surrogacy. Everyone apart from Care Services employees will need to submit their intended leave via Workday, please speak to your manager if you need any help.

Care Services employees should download the form below and follow the detailed process.

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Confirmation of pregnancy and notification of date of intended leave

Paternity leave application form

Looking for support during pregnancy?

Getting ready

At Bupa, we understand that your needs may change as your journey to parenthood progresses. Your manager will have regular check-ins with you to review your progress and discuss any adjustments or support you may need. They will support you with reasonable time off to attend appointments, eg ante natal or adoption meetings, and further details of how you should arrange this can be found in our policies below.

If you’re going to be a Dad, we will support you with reasonable time off to accompany your partner to antenatal appointments, and you can look forward to taking up to 2 weeks paternity leave following the birth or placement of your child. Further information on this, as well as what you need to do to apply for paternity leave, can be found in our policy below.

You may be considering shared parental leave and, if so, you should read our policy below and discuss your options with your manager to make sure you’re fully aware of what is required.

Take a look at our wellbeing pages to find out more about the support we provide for new parents.

Need some help?

If you've got a Bupa email address, submit your query online by clicking the question mark.

Alternatively, you can call the team on 0161 931 7500.

If you don't have a Bupa email address, please speak to your manager for more help.

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Adoption leave policy

Starting your leave

The time has arrived for you to start your maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave and look forward to welcoming your child into your family. Dependant on your circumstances you will be entitled to one of the following:

• Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML) for 26 weeks
• Additional Maternity Leave (AML) of a further 26 weeks immediately following OML

• Ordinary Adoption Leave (OAL) for 26 weeks
• Additional Adoption Leave (AAL) of a further 26 weeks immediately following OAL

• Paternity Leave for 2 weeks

• Up to 50 weeks Shared Parental Leave

You may start your maternity leave at any time from the 11th week before the expected date of birth. Statutory Adoption Leave may start on a pre-determined date no more than 14 days before the expected date of placement, or on the date of placement itself, but no later. You must notify your manager of your intended start date as soon as possible and give a minimum of 8 week’s notice if you are applying for Shared Parental Leave. We will then write to you within 28 days confirming the date on which your maternity leave will end and the actual date you will be expected to return to work. Please refer to our policies for further information.

Shortly before your leave starts your manager will discuss with you the arrangements for covering your work and the opportunities for you to remain in contact, during your leave.

Need some help?

If you've got a Bupa email address, submit your query online by clicking the question mark.

Alternatively you can call the team on 0161 931 7500.

If you don't have a Bupa email address, please speak to your manager for more help.

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Adoption leave policy

During your leave

We hope that you enjoy your leave from work and that it provides you with countless happy memories as you welcome and get to know your new arrival.

During your maternity, adoption or shared parental leave, your contract with Bupa remains in place and the following terms and conditions of your employment relating to benefits remain in force:

• Life insurance;

• Health insurance;

• Use of company car

• Annual salary review

• Eligibility for bonus/incentive if applicable. Please refer to your scheme guidelines for details.

New mothers must take a minimum of 2 week’s maternity leave, and we will not contact you about anything work related during this time. We will make reasonable contact with you during your maternity, adoption or shared parental leave as it is important that you are kept informed of any developments at work; plus, it’s great for us to keep in touch and find out how you and your new arrival are progressing.

You may undertake up to ten days paid work during your maternity or adoption leave, without bringing your leave to an end. These are known as "keeping in touch" (KIT) days. During shared parental leave, you can agree to work for Bupa for up to 20 days without bringing your period of leave to an end or impacting on your right to claim statutory shared parental pay for that week. Such days are known as "shared parental leave in-touch" or "SPLIT" days.

These optional days may be used for any activity that would ordinarily be classed as work under your contract of employment, including: training, attending a team meeting or any activity undertaken for the purposes of keeping in touch with the workplace. They can be taken at any stage during maternity leave (apart from the first two weeks after the birth) and at any stage during adoption or shared parental leave.

KIT or SPLIT days must be agreed with your manager and you should refer to the relevant policy for further details.

As your leave draws to an end, and you start to get ready to return to work, you may be thinking about your childcare options. If you wish to join our childcare voucher scheme, which allows you to save tax and national insurance on the value of the vouchers, you can find out how to do so here.

You may also need to consider how your working hours suit your new circumstances. If you wish to apply to change these, you should have a discussion with your manager before requesting a change through our flexible working policy. We will give full and fair consideration to your request. If we are unable to approve this, we will provide full and clear reasons and look for alternative options to support you.

Need some help?

If you've got a Bupa email address, submit your query online by clicking the question mark.

Alternatively, you can call the team on 0161 931 7500.

If you don't have a Bupa email address, please speak to your manager for more help.

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Childcare vouchers information

Flexible working policy

KIT Day Notification Form

Returning to work

We look forward to welcoming you back to work on your agreed return date, unless you tell us otherwise. It will help your manager if, during your leave, you are able to confirm that you will be returning to work as expected.

If you wish to return to work from maternity, adoption or shared parental leave earlier than the expected return date, you must give your manager at least eight weeks' notice. It is helpful if you give this notice in writing. If you do not give enough notice, we may postpone your return date until eight weeks after you gave notice, or to the expected return date if sooner.

If you wish to return from maternity or adoption leave later than the expected return date, you should either:

• request unpaid parental leave in accordance with our parental leave policy, giving us as much notice as possible but not less than 21 days; or

• request paid annual leave in accordance with your contract of employment.

Please refer to our maternity, adoption and shared parental leave policies for further information.

When you return to work, your manager will carry out a risk assessment to identify and carry out any necessary changes, in order to protect your health and wellbeing at work. They will also discuss and support you with any practical needs you may have. For example, if you’re a breastfeeding mum, they will make arrangements for you to be able to express and store your milk. If you haven’t already done so, you may also wish to discuss your working hours with your manager; if you wish to apply to change these, you can do so through our flexible working policy. We will give full and fair consideration to your request. If we are unable to approve this, we will provide full and clear reasons and look for alternative options to support you.

Whilst we hope to welcome you back, if you do not intend to return, or you are unsure, it is helpful to discuss this with your manager as early as possible. If you decide you do not wish to return at the end of your maternity leave, you should give your written notice as per your contract and before the end of your maternity period. If a resignation date is not specified, your resignation will be effective from the end of your paid leave period.

Need some help?

If you've got a Bupa email address, submit your query online by clicking the question mark.

Alternatively, you can call the team on 0161 931 7500.

If you don't have a Bupa email address, please speak to your manager for more help.

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