As you continue to take time off during your maternity leave, you may want to take your annual leave before returning to work. Employers will generally agree, but your statutory maternity leave always expires on the date it should affect your right to return to your previous job. A COT3 is an agreement that records the terms of settlement of an employment court claim (or potential right) that has been agreed between you and your employer with the assistance of an arbitrator employed by ACAS. This agreement should not be recorded on a COT3 form. It can be agreed between you and your employer in writing or orally with the help of a mediator and remains valid and binding. You may also be asked to warrant that no further offer has been offered to you prior to the closing of the transaction agreement or that you are not expected to be offered another position. This decision makes it clear that employers must be cautious when it comes to paying SMP as part of a settlement agreement. If it is not explicitly mentioned in the agreement, employers could face unexpected payment claims from HMRC. Normally, SMP is paid weekly or monthly in the same way as your salary normally paid. However, in theory, it could be paid as a lump sum as part of a settlement agreement upon termination of your employment relationship. When negotiating a settlement agreement, it is important to guarantee both: while the vast majority of SMPs can be recovered from employers through the tax system, there are some special points to be taken into account by the employer when negotiating departure packages for pregnant workers and maternity leave. Sometimes, when it comes to a stock option scheme, it`s important that you are registered as a “good Leaver,” unlike someone who leaves “with good reason.” Ask the employer to confirm this. The employee was entitled to SMP in addition to the £10,000 provided for in the settlement agreement.
You also have the right to be informed of all promotion opportunities that arise during your maternity leave. . . .
