Under Regulation 10 of the Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations 1999, before making a woman on ordinary or additional maternity leave redundant, employers have an obligation to offer her a suitable alternative vacancy, where one exists, giving the woman priority over other employees at risk of redundancy. The Government is seeking views on: (i) extending the scope of the current protection under Reg 10 for those on maternity leave to women who return to work from maternity leave, with the protection lasting for a period of 6 months after their return;  (ii) extending Reg 10 protection to start at the point a woman informs her employer in writing that she is pregnant; and (iii) extending Reg 10 protection beyond statutory maternity leave to those returning from adoption leave, shared parental leave and longer periods of parental leave.

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