Associate Handbook 2018

An Associate can change the dates for a period of leave by giving the Company at least eight weeks' notice before the original start date and the new start date.

An Associate does not need to give eight weeks' notice if they are changing the dates of their shared parental leave because their child has been born earlier than the Expected Week of Childbirth, where they wanted to start their shared parental leave a certain length of time (but not more than eight weeks) after birth. In such cases please can an Associate notify the Company in writing of the change as soon as they can.

A notice to cancel or change a period of leave will count as one of an Associate's three periods of leave notices, unless:

(a) the variation is a result of their child being born earlier or later than the Expected Week of Childbirth;

(b)

the variation is at the Company's request; or

(c)

the Company agrees otherwise.

6.19

Shared Parental Pay

Statutory Shared Parental Pay

In this section, Relevant Period means the eight week period ending with the Qualifying Week.

Subject to the eligibility criteria below, statutory shared parental pay ("SSPP") of a total of up to 39 weeks (less any weeks of statutory maternity pay or adoption pay claimed by an Associate or the other parent) may potentially be available. SSPP is paid at a prescribed rate set by the government from time to time or at 90% of an Associate's average weekly earnings calculated over the Relevant Period if this is lower. For further information regarding an Associate's SSPP entitlement please contact the Human Resources Division. (a) they must have been continuously employed by the Company for at least 26 weeks by the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth ("the Qualifying Week"); and (b) they must earn more than the lower earnings limit ("LEL") for paying National Insurance Contributions during the eight weeks ending with the Qualifying Week. The Human Resources Division will be able to tell an Associate what the current LEL is. To be eligible for shared parental pay an Associate must satisfy the following criteria: