Keeping in Touch (or KIT) days allow employees to do a small amount of work while they are on maternity or adoption leave. Using a KIT day will not normally end their leave or stop their statutory pay. KIT days can be used for things such as training, team meetings, catching up on changes at work or getting ready to return.
Employees can usually work up to 10 KIT days during their leave. However, KIT days are completely optional. An employer cannot require an employee to use them, and an employee cannot demand to use them. Both sides should agree in advance on what work will be done, which dates the employee will work and how they will be paid.
This guide covers the main KIT day rules employers need to know. It explains the 10-day limit, what counts as a KIT day, how pay works and how to manage KIT days fairly and consistently.
For more information about maternity leave and pay in general, see Factorial’s guide to Statutory Maternity Pay and Leave.
Key facts about Keeping in Touch days
- Employees can normally work up to 10 KIT days during maternity or adoption leave.
- KIT days are optional for both the employer and the employee.
- Any amount of work on one day counts as one full KIT day towards the 10-day limit.
- KIT days can be used for training, meetings, normal work and other agreed activities.
- The work, hours and pay should be agreed before the employee works.
- Employees cannot use KIT days during the compulsory maternity leave period immediately after giving birth.
- Using KIT days does not extend maternity or adoption leave.
- Shared Parental Leave has a separate allowance of up to 20 SPLIT days, according to GOV.UK.
KIT days explained
A KIT day allows an employee to do some work while they are still on maternity or adoption leave. The idea behind it is to give both the employee and employer some flexibility during a longer period away from work. The employee does not have to return to their normal job for a full day.
For example, an employee could use a KIT day to:
- attend a training course
- join a team meeting
- take part in an appraisal
- attend an important company event
- learn about a new system or process
- carry out some of their normal work
- work on a project
- prepare for their return to work
Employees can use up to 10 KIT days without those days normally ending their statutory leave or affecting their Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Adoption Pay, as explained on GOV.UK.
KIT days are also available during Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave. Different rules apply to Shared Parental Leave, which has its own type of keeping-in-touch day. You can find more information about the wider rules in Factorial’s guide to Shared Parental Leave.
KIT days are optional
KIT days must be agreed by both the employer and employee.
As an employer, you cannot force an employee to work while they are on maternity or adoption leave. The employee also cannot force you to provide work for a KIT day. This means both parties need to agree before any KIT work takes place.
It is a good idea to discuss everything, including:
- the date
- the hours
- what work the employee will do
- where they will work
- how much they will be paid
A simple written confirmation, such as an email, can help make sure everyone understands what has been agreed.
It is also useful to talk about KIT days before the employee starts maternity or adoption leave. They do not need to agree to specific dates at that point. You can simply explain how KIT days work, whether your organisation normally offers them and who the employee should contact if they want to arrange one.
Having this information in your maternity or adoption policy can also make the process clearer for employees and managers.
How the 10-day limit works
Employees can work a maximum of 10 KIT days during maternity or adoption leave without going over the special KIT day allowance.
The 10 days do not have to be taken together.
For example, an employee could use one KIT day every few months. They could also save several KIT days until the end of their maternity leave to help them prepare for their return.
The important rule is that any work carried out on one particular day counts as one complete KIT day.
It does not matter whether the employee works for one hour or their normal full working day.
For example:
| Work completed | KIT allowance used |
| 1-hour meeting | 1 day |
| 3-hour training course | 1 day |
| Half-day of work | 1 day |
| Full working day | 1 day |
| Two half-days on different dates | 2 days |
HMRC specifically states that even an hour of work counts as one whole KIT day. This is why it is important to record the actual dates an employee uses as KIT days, rather than only keeping a record of the number of hours they have worked.
For example, if an employee joins ten separate one-hour meetings on ten different days, they have used their full 10-day KIT allowance.
When KIT days can be used
KIT days can normally be spread throughout maternity or adoption leave. However, there is an important restriction during maternity leave: Employees cannot work during the compulsory maternity leave period immediately after giving birth.
This compulsory period lasts:
- 2 weeks for most employees
- 4 weeks if the employee works in a factory
An employee cannot use a KIT day during this period.
After the compulsory maternity leave period has ended, you and the employee can agree KIT days during the rest of their leave. Employees can also use KIT days during the unpaid part of maternity leave.
Remember that Statutory Maternity Leave can last for up to 52 weeks, while Statutory Maternity Pay normally lasts for up to 39 weeks. This means an employee may still be on maternity leave even after their SMP has ended.
What counts as work on a KIT day?
A KIT day does not have to mean an employee returns to their normal role and completes a full day’s work. There is a lot of flexibility over what can be done.
KIT work could include:
- normal duties
- training
- team meetings
- conferences
- planning sessions
- appraisals
- project work
- learning a new system
- catching up on workplace changes
- preparing to return to work
The main point is that the employer and employee should agree on what the employee will do before the KIT day takes place. Think about what will actually be useful for the employee.
For example, if the business introduced a new system while they were away, a KIT day could be used for training. If there have been major changes to their team, they might use a KIT day to meet their manager and colleagues before returning.
Normal contact is different from a KIT day
Not everything, like having a conversation with an employee during maternity or adoption leave, counts as work. Employers should still keep employees informed about important things happening at work.
For example, Acas says employers should keep employees informed about matters such as job opportunities, training opportunities, redundancies and reorganisations that could affect them.
You might also agree to keep in touch about:
- their planned return date
- changes within their team
- important company news
- workplace events
- social events
- changes to their role
- any support they might need when they return
Simply sending an update or speaking to an employee about their return does not automatically mean they have used a KIT day. It is useful to talk about keeping in contact before maternity or adoption leave begins.
Ask the employee how they would prefer you to contact them and how often they would like to hear from you. Some employees may want regular updates, while others may prefer very little contact while they are away.
Agreeing KIT day hours and location
A KIT day does not have to be the same length as the employee’s normal working day. You could agree that the employee will attend a two-hour meeting, complete a morning of training, or work their normal hours.
However, remember that all of these examples would still use one full KIT day from the employee’s allowance. The location can also be agreed between you and the employee.
Depending on the job and activity, KIT work could take place:
- in the employee’s normal workplace
- from home, remotely
- at a training venue
- at another company location
- at an event or conference
For example, if an employee joins a two-hour online training session from home, that would still normally count as one KIT day.
Think about the reason for the KIT day when deciding how it should work. If the employee mainly needs to learn how to use a new system, remote training might be enough. If the aim is to reconnect with their team and get comfortable being back in the workplace, spending some time in the office might make more sense.
Paying employees for KIT days
There is no fixed statutory rate of pay specifically for KIT days.
Instead, the employer and employee should agree how the employee will be paid before the work takes place. HMRC says employers should agree the payment and must still follow other legal pay requirements, including the National Minimum Wage.
If you need a refresher on the current rules, Factorial’s National Minimum Wage guide explains the UK rates and employer responsibilities. One simple approach is to pay the employee their normal rate for the work they complete. Paying somebody less than their normal rate to complete the same work could also raise discrimination concerns.
Your company policy might therefore say that employees receive:
- their normal hourly rate
- their normal daily rate
- another agreed amount that meets all legal requirements
The important thing is to make your approach clear and agree the payment before the KIT day happens. This helps avoid situations where the employee and manager have different expectations about what will be paid.
KIT pay and Statutory Maternity Pay
KIT day pay and Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) need to be considered together. Using a KIT day does not normally stop an employee from receiving the SMP they are entitled to for that week.
HMRC allows SMP to count towards the contractual pay you have agreed for the KIT work. However, the employee still needs to receive their full statutory SMP entitlement and you must continue to meet other legal requirements, including minimum wage rules.
This can sometimes make the calculation less straightforward than simply adding a day’s normal salary on top of SMP.
Make sure payroll knows:
- the date of the KIT day
- how many hours the employee worked
- what rate of pay was agreed
- whether the employee is receiving SMP
- how your organisation’s KIT pay policy works
For a wider explanation of paying employees and dealing with deductions, Factorial’s guide to payroll explains the basic UK payroll process.
A similar approach applies to Statutory Adoption Pay. Your maternity and adoption policies should clearly explain how your organisation handles KIT day pay so employees know what they can expect before agreeing to work.
What happens after the 10 KIT days are used?
Employers need to be especially careful once an employee has used all 10 KIT days. An 11th working day cannot simply be treated as another KIT day.
For an employee receiving SMP, HMRC says that working beyond the 10-day allowance can mean the employee loses SMP for any week in which they work. Their maternity leave may also come to an end.
Similar rules can apply to Statutory Adoption Pay and adoption leave. The maternity or adoption pay period is not extended to replace weeks where statutory pay is lost. This makes accurate record-keeping very important.
Do not rely on the employee, their manager or HR remembering how many days have already been used. Instead, keep a clear record showing:
- every KIT date
- what the employee did
- the hours they worked
- what pay was agreed
- how many KIT days remain
This can help stop a manager accidentally arranging an 11th working day.
Good absence records are important for other types of leave too. Factorial’s guide to absence management software explains how businesses can keep different types of employee leave in one place.
KIT days and Shared Parental Leave
Employees who take Shared Parental Leave have a similar system, but the days have a different name and a different allowance. Employees on SPL can work up to 20 Shared Parental Leave in Touch days, normally called SPLIT days.
These are separate from KIT days. This distinction is important because an employee may use both types of day at different stages.
For example, an employee might start by taking maternity leave and use some of their KIT days. They could then end maternity leave early and move onto Shared Parental Leave. During the Shared Parental Leave period, they may then be able to use SPLIT days.
The two allowances should be recorded separately.
| KIT days | SPLIT days |
| Used during maternity or adoption leave | Used during Shared Parental Leave |
| Up to 10 days | Up to 20 days |
| Optional | Optional |
| Work and pay agreed in advance | Work and pay agreed in advance |
For a full explanation of eligibility, notice, pay and leave periods, see Factorial’s Shared Parental Leave guide.
Benefits of KIT days
KIT days are not necessary for every employee. Some employees may find them useful, while others may decide they do not want to work at all while they are on leave. Both choices are fine.
When both sides–employers and employees–want to use them, KIT days can make the move back to work a little easier.
For employers, KIT days can help you keep an employee informed about important changes and provide any training they need before returning. For employees, they can provide a gradual way to reconnect with work after being away for several months.
Some employees may want to use several KIT days close to their return date. Others may prefer occasional KIT days throughout their leave. Some may decide not to use any KIT days at all.
It is also worth looking at KIT days as one part of a wider leave plan. Employees may move between maternity leave, Shared Parental Leave and employee annual leave before or after returning to their normal working pattern.
Creating a simple KIT day process
A clear process makes KIT days easier to manage and helps avoid mistakes with pay and the 10-day limit.
- Discuss contact before leave starts: Explain that KIT days are optional and agree how the employee would like to keep in touch during their leave.
- Agree each KIT day in advance: Confirm the date, hours, work involved, location and rate of pay before the employee works.
- Put it in writing: Send a short written confirmation so both sides have a clear record of what was agreed.
- Record every KIT day used: Keep a running total, as even a short meeting can count as one full KIT day. Good leave tracking also helps with employee annual leave, sickness and other absences.
- Tell payroll: Make sure payroll knows when the employee worked, how long they worked, what they should be paid and whether they are receiving SMP or SAP.
- Use KIT days to support the return to work: KIT days can be used for training, system updates, manager meetings or planning the employee’s first few weeks back.
Factorial’s guide to flexible working hours explains some of the ways businesses can manage flexible working arrangements.
Managing KIT days with Factorial
Managing KIT days is easier when leave records, employee information and payroll details are kept in one place. Factorial is an AI business management platform that brings together HR, IT, and finance under one hood. It helps HR teams track absences, give managers better visibility over leave and keep important employee information organised.
With absence management software, you can manage KIT days alongside maternity leave, adoption leave, Shared Parental Leave and annual leave without relying on separate spreadsheets or long email threads.
Learn more about Factorial’s absence management software and request a free demo of Factorial for a personalised quote tailored to your organisation.
FAQs About KIT Days
Keeping in Touch, or KIT, days are optional days when an employee can do some work during maternity or adoption leave without normally ending their leave. Employees can use up to 10 KIT days if both they and their employer agree.
A KIT day can involve only a few hours of work. However, any amount of work on one date counts as one full KIT day towards the employee's 10-day limit.
KIT work can be done from home where the employer and employee agree to the arrangement. For example, an employee could attend online training or join a meeting remotely.
KIT days can be useful for training, staying connected with colleagues and making the return to work easier. They are optional, so whether they are worthwhile will depend on the employee's circumstances and what both sides want to achieve.
There is no fixed KIT day pay rate. The employer and employee should agree the pay before the work takes place. The employer must still meet legal pay requirements, and any Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Adoption Pay entitlement must be handled correctly.
