Not having been Pregnant for some time or having been involved with employing anyone who is, thought this might be useful for employers who need first time information on how to go about claiming back SMP ~ Statutory Maternity Pay.... and indeed what to do if a member of your staff needs Maternity & Paternity information ....
Pregnancy, Protocol and Politeness ..
So what to do when an employee tells you they are expecting a baby.
Firstly .. and if appropriate ~ Congratulate them 
lol
They need to let you know officially in writing that they are pregnant and when the due dates are ~ you will need to reply to that notice within 28 days confirming the news and letting them know of the expected return to work dates.
Legally ~ the notification date to qualify for SMP is 15 weeks prior to the end of Baby's due week.
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2 good printable PDF leaflets from the DTI.gov.uk website
Employees ~ things to know
Employers ~ What you need to know as an Employer
These leaflets may be nice as a hand out to an employee when they tell you they are expecting a baby - both points of view & expectations are then fully covered
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MATERNITY LEAVE
We have a comprehensive thread on this that you can read HERE 
lol
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DOCUMENTS & FORMS
Do you have a Maternity notice form they can fill out for you?
If not ~ you could make your own that asks and confirms ...
NI number
Contact details
Name of the pregnant mother.
Which week baby is due
When they would like their Maternity leave to start.
Form MAT B1 ~ is the medical form that will be issued from the doctor/midwife to confirm pregnancy and baby's due date.
Suggested FORMS ....
These are for a very basic guide only .. adapt and amend them to your own circumstances.. if you have your own that you would like to share please email me ~ silky@silkysteps.com
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1. Pregnancy Announcement form Word.doc our own basic version for you to amend to your own setting ...
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2. Pregnant Employee Confirmation REPLY word.doc ~ another version made for you to adapt when responding to your pregnant employees news !!
Copy & Paste the letter contents onto your own headed template if possible.
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3. Employee Notice to Return form word.doc ~ Use & amend this doc. as your legal obligation to inform the employee 56 days before you expect them to return to work.
Copy & Paste the letter contents onto your own headed template if possible.
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WAGES ~ Statutory Maternity Pay
HMRC - InlandRevenue
SMP ~ Record sheet PDF
If you don't have a way to record payments at the moment ..this sheet may provide a good initial start.
Reclaiming your SMP
Rcovering SMP guidance from the HMRC website
Small businesses ~ defined as those whose annual National Insurance contributions are less than £45,00 are reimbursed 100% of the SMP plus an extra 4.5 % 'compensation
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COMMON COURTESY for Employers and Employees
At any point ~ if you need assistance or advice on Employee / Employer issues
www.ACAS.co.uk welcomes contact from individuals and organisations ~ They aim to help with any relation difficulties, misunderstandings or to sign post you in the right direction.
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FAQS
Good click through answers to FAQ can be read here -
HMRC.gov.uk Pregnant Employee
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Employing TEMPORARY cover/workers
If you employ temporary cover for your ML absences ~ make sure you tell your temporary staff this and their contract covers all the necessary points!
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Pregnancy Risk ASSESSMENTS
Depending on your environment & personal circumstances these Risk assessments may give you a guide on how to create your own..
usdaw.org.uk has a good pdf risk assessment
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Be sure to keep all Pregnancy announcement forms with your other Confidential Staff policies/documents.
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Disclaimer
All the information contained in this post is intended for guidance use only - It is not intended to replace personally received legal advice.
If you require personal advice please refer to an independent legal advisory organisation who will be able to assist you
Pregnant Employee ~ Help & Guidance
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