Sources of further information and guidance

Information available on other websites

• Maternity Rights - A guide for employers and employees
• EC Communication from the Commission COM (2000) 466 final/2
  On the guidelines on the assessment of the chemical, physical and biological agents and industrial processes considered hazardous for the safety or health of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding (Council Directive 92/85/EEC).
• A new booklet "Pregnancy and Work. What you need to know " [473kb] was also published which describes women's and employer's rights and responsibilities. It includes the employer's responsibilities to undertake a specific risk assessment for the pregnant woman once informed of the pregnancy.

Useful links

• Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
  The BERR website provides more details about employment relations, including maternity and paternity rights, leave and work life balance.
• Tailored Interactive Guidance on Employment Rights (TIGER)
  Alternatively visit DTI's Tailored Interactive Guidance on Employment Rights website to find out your individual rights.
• Department for Work and Pensions
  The Department for Work and Pensions site will provide more information on how to claim maternity allowance, and for more information on Med 3 certificates [225kb]
• Inland Revenue
  The Inland Revenue's site can give employers more information about Statutory Maternity Payments
• Equal Opportunities Commission
  For more information on Sex Discrimination visit the Equal Opportunities Commission's website - the leading agency working to eliminate sex discrimination in the 21st century
• Tommys - the baby charity
  Tommy's is determined to address the problems caused by premature birth, miscarriage, and stillbirth. They fund a national programme of research, education and information aimed at understanding and preventing these tragedies.
• Safe and healthy working
  Safe and healthy working is a new service in Scotland, which provides access to free and confidential advice, information and support on occupational health and safety in the workplace
• BBC - Pregnancy at work
  Maternity rights at work change quite often, and it's always best to get up-to-date information and advice - and to question anything you're told. Here you'll find an outline of what you can expect.
• BBC - Finding family friendly workplaces
  When you've got children, working for an employer that understands your needs as a parent can make a huge difference. But how do you find one?

Priced publications

The following are available from HSE Books

New and Expectant Mothers at Work - A guide for employers £9.50 HSG122 ISBN 0 7176 2583 4

Infection risks to new and expectant mothers in the workplace - A guide for employers ISBN 0 7176 2368 8

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Approved Code of Practice and guidance L21 (Second edition) ISBN 0 7176 2488 9

Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 Approved Code of Practice and guidance L24 ISBN 0 7176 0413 6

The following are available from The Stationery Office

• The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 [900KB]
  ISBN 0-10-546575-5

The Employment Rights Act 1996
ISBN 0-10-541896-X

Press releases

• Related HSE press releases