KIT and SPLIT days

Keeping in Touch (KIT) days are a provision under the Work and Families Act 2006, particularly intended to help employees on maternity or adoption leave with the process of resuming work and to enable employers to maintain better contact and encourage more open communication with people on maternity or adoption leave.

These days are optional and the decision to undertake a KIT day must be made by agreement between you and your line manager (there are no rights for either the employer or the employee to require such days).

• there can be up to 10 KIT days taken during the period of maternity/adoption leave
• the type of work can be anything that you would normally do and be paid for, and could include attendance on training courses and at conferences 
• you will not be paid for attending KIT days, nor will it be possible for the University to meet any additional childcare costs. However, for each KIT day, your physical return to work will be deferred by one day. You will not see these days in Trent and they can’t be booked at a later date. For example, if you were due to return to work on Monday 2 April and worked 5 KIT days, for payroll purposes you would be treated as returning to work on Monday 2 April, but would not physically return until Monday 9 April. If, however, KIT days occur during the period when you are receiving Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) or Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP), payment of SMP/SAP will not be affected
• any work carried out on any KIT day will count as one full day
• for health and safety reasons you must not work during the first two weeks after the baby is born

By maintaining a minimal, but regular, presence during maternity/adoption leave - bearing in mind there is no obligation for the employee to do so - Keeping in Touch days can offer real benefit to the University and the employee.

These days are optional and the decision to undertake a SPLIT day must be made by agreement between you and your line manager (there are no rights for either the employer or the employee to require such days).

• there can be up to 20 SPLIT days per parent taken during the period of Shared Parental Leave. The type of work can be anything that you would normally do and be paid for, and could include attendance on training courses and at conferences 
• you will not be paid for attending SPLIT days, nor will it be possible for the University to meet any additional childcare costs. However, for each SPLIT day, your physical return to work will be deferred by one day. For example, if you are a full time member of staff who normally works Monday-Friday, and you were due to return to work on Monday 2 November and worked 5 SPLIT days. For payroll purposes you would be treated as returning to work on Monday 2 November, but would not physically return until Monday 9 November. If, however, SPLIT days occur during the period when you are receiving Shared Parental Pay, payment of Shared Parental Pay will not be affected.
• any work carried out on any SPLIT day will count as one full day
• for health and safety reasons a mother must not work during the first two weeks after the baby is born

By maintaining a minimal, but regular, presence during Shared Parental Leave - bearing in mind there is no obligation for the employee to do so – SPLIT days can offer real benefit to you and the University.

If you have taken any KIT days whilst on maternity or adoption leave, please ensure you have discussed this with your manager and agreed for your physical return to work date to be delayed accordingly.  HR do not need to be informed.

If you have taken any KIT/SPLIT days whilst on shared parental leave, please complete form PD53 ‌and return it to Human Resources at least 2 weeks before the date you are due to return to work.