KIT and SPLIT

Keep in touch (KIT) and shared parental leave in touch days (SPLIT) are for staff to attend work or training during the following types of leave:

Download KIT / SPLIT guidance for managers [Word]

Keeping in touch (KIT) days and shared parental leave in touch (SPLIT) days allow staff to keep in touch with their work and colleagues during their family leave. These full or half days enable staff to carry out work, attend training or College events during leave without the leave being brought to an end. 

Days available

KIT and SPLIT days don't have to be worked consecutively. Working part of a day will be rounded up to the nearest half day or full day.

  • KIT: You are able to take up to 10 keeping in touch (KIT) days without your maternity, adoption or surrogacy leave being brought to an end.
  • SPLIT: You are able to take up to 20 Shared Parental Leave in Touch (SPLIT) days without your Shared Parental Leave being brought to an end.

Pay/Time off in lieu (TOIL)

The amount of pay or time of in lieu (TOIL) is dependent on whether the day falls within a period when you are receiving paid or unpaid leave:

  • Full pay: you will not receive an additional payment or TOIL for the day worked.
  • Statutory Pay (SMP/MA/SAP/ShPP): For half a day worked, you will receive a half day’s pay or half a days’ TOIL. For a full day worked, you will receive a full days’ pay or a full days’ TOIL. When in receipt of statutory pay, the payment made for any half or full days worked will be reduced by the amount of statutory pay already received.
  • Unpaid leave: you will receive half a days’ pay or half a days’ TOIL for each half day worked or a full days’ pay or a full days’ TOIL for each full day worked

Further information on this can be found in the KIT/SPLIT guidance.

Process for Staff and Managers

Staff

Discuss with your manager

Prior to going on leave, you and your manager will discuss making reasonable contact during leave or blocks of shared parental leave, such as updating you on what is happening at work, promotion opportunities or to discuss your return to work. This is separate from KIT and SPLIT days. This may include agreeing how often and how you or your manager will make contact. You may wish to provide your preferred contact details.

Keeping in touch and shared parental leave in touch days can only be taken with prior agreement from your line manager. You should raise this with your manager prior to taking leave.

It is up to you and your manager whether you will take this opportunity to keep in touch. You can discuss the arrangements with your manager of what days you wish to attend work or undertake training during your leave. 

Pay

Your manager will complete the KIT / SPLIT form for the days you attend work or training.

Payments for the days you work will be made through payroll and is subject to tax and national insurance contributions in the normal way. However, they will be non-pensionable and not eligible for salary sacrifice.

Payments will be at the rate of pay on the day you return to work. Where a KIT or SPLIT day is worked during a period when you are receiving one of the statutory payments for maternity / adoption / surrogacy / shared parental leave, the payment for the full / half day worked will be reduced by the amount of statutory payment you have already received. 

If you decide not to return to work, payments for any KIT/SPLIT days will be paid as part of your final salary payment or will be used to offset any overpayments such as the enhanced element of College Maternity/Adoption/Shared Parental Pay. 

Manager

Discuss with your member of staff

Prior to your member of staff going on leave, you may wish to discuss making reasonable contact during their leave or blocks of shared parental leave, such as updating them on what is happening at work, promotion opportunities or to discuss their return to work. This is separate from KIT and SPLIT days. This may include agreeing how often and how you or they will make contact. 

Keeping in touch and shared parental leave in touch days can only be taken with prior agreement from line managers. Raise this with your member of staff if they wish to undertake this opportunity to attend work or training during their leave.

Financial approval

Where a member of staff is to receive payment for a KIT day(s) or SPLIT day(s), the completed form should be forwarded to the relevant team:

  • Finance (where payment is to be made from general funds)
  • Research Services (for research funded posts). 
  • If the post is split funded, authorisation should be given by both of the aforementioned teams.  

Following financial approval, line managers should forward the form to the HR Staff Hub.

For the Faculty of Medicine, forward the form to Departmental Managers who will need to forward the completed form to the Staff Hub as soon as possible following the member of staff’s return to work to ensure prompt payment.  If the fully completed form is received by HR in line with the Payroll deadline, payment will usually be made in the first payroll following the individual’s return to work. 

Where a member of staff is to receive TOIL only, Departmental Managers should retain the form locally.

If a member of staff decides not to return to work, payments for any KIT/SPLIT days will be paid as part of their final salary payment or will be used to offset any overpayments such as the enhanced element of College Maternity/Adoption/Shared Parental Pay.