During your leave

Your line manager should ensure that you are kept informed about changes at work during your leave, particularly if any of the changes will directly affect your job or career development.

Keeping in touch days

During your leave you may be offered (or you can request) up to ten Keeping In Touch (KIT) days. You cannot take KIT days during the two week period of 'compulsory adoption leave'.

• KIT days are mutually agreed, paid days of work where you come in to work, make contact with colleagues and catch up with developments in your workplace. They do not affect your adoption benefits.
• If you use KIT days your line manager will need to inform Payroll by email confirming the date of the KIT day and the number of hours worked. This is so that, where necessary, a payment can be made.
• A 'day', in KIT terms, is defined as anything from attending a 1 hour meeting to a full 7.4 hour day. You are paid for your Keeping in Touch days, however, they must not be used to accrue time off in lieu.
• Payment for a KIT day will be inclusive of SAP payment for the week. Where payment for the day's work is in excess of the weekly SAP payment, the difference will be paid. Where payment for a day's work is less than the weekly SAP payment then you will receive the SAP payment only.
• The type of work undertaken during KIT days must be agreed between you and your line manager and might typically include attending a conference, training course, or a meeting. It is not intended that you use these days to continue your work during adoption leave or to work from home.
• The University is not obliged to offer you KIT days; similarly you are not obliged to work any that are offered.

Employee benefits

Your period of adoption leave does not affect your service as an employee, and you will receive any normal pay increments (if applicable) and accrue annual leave while on leave.

Annual leave can't be taken while you are on adoption leave, so you are allowed to carry forward any untaken holiday to the following leave year. We suggest you talk to your manager early about how you intend to manage your leave.

Members of the USS or University of York Pension schemes will have their pension contributions made for them while they receive Occupational or Statutory Adoption Pay. During any unpaid adoption leave, your active membership of these schemes is 'suspended'. This means that the period will not count as pensionable service, but that benefits will still be paid in the event of death or ill-health retirement.