Holiday Entitlement

Foundation Dentists are entitled to 5.6 weeks’ holiday, including bank holidays, with full pay during the period of twelve months in the Practice, and this allowance is made pro-rata for part-time working.
Holidays are to be taken at the times agreed between the Educational Supervisor and FD. It is recommended that FDs speak to their Educational Supervisors to arrange holidays well in advance. This is professional courtesy and minimises disruption to the Practice and patients.
The Foundation Dentist should not take more than 3 days annual leave within the first 8 weeks of the training year or take holidays on study days without the written approval of the regional Postgraduate Dental Dean/Director.
If an FD agrees to work on a public holiday, he or she should be given a day's leave in lieu.
Where employment ends or is terminated a payment will be made on a pro-rata basis in respect of any accrued holiday entitlement that has arisen in the relevant leave year but has not been taken on the date of termination. A deduction will be made from the Foundation Dentist’s final pay on a pro-rata basis for any holiday taken in excess of their entitlement in that leave year, at the date of termination.
Any leave in addition to the normal holiday entitlement can only be taken with the agreement of the ES, the Regional Foundation Programme/Associate Director, and the Postgraduate Dean/Director.

Sickness

Any on-going health concerns should have been raised at the time of application so please notify your Educational Supervisor and Training Programme Director immediately if circumstances have changed.
An occupational health appointment may be arranged for you if there are special circumstances to consider, that could affect your ability to work and train, particularly if patients might be at risk. You may have to pay a charge for this.
If absent due to sickness the Foundation Dentist may be entitled to statutory sick pay during the first four months of employment; after four months service the Foundation Dentist is entitled to one month’s full pay and two months’ half pay.  Any entitlement to sick pay ends when the contract ends or is terminated by either party. If the Foundation Dentist is absent from work for any reason, he/she must notify the nominated person at the practice of the reason for absence as soon as possible but no later than the time specified on the first day of absence to give the reason for absence and, if possible, to say when they hope to return to work. Unauthorised absence will not be paid.
The Foundation Dentist should fill out a self-certification form for any period of absence due to illness lasting less than 7 days. For any period of incapacity due to sickness or injury which lasts for seven consecutive days or more, a doctor's certificate stating the reason for absence must be obtained at the Foundation Dentist’s own cost and supplied to the practice. Further certificates must be obtained if the absence continues for longer than the period of the original certificate. Cumulative absence of greater than 10 days during the training year must be reported by the Foundation Dentist to the Postgraduate Dean/Director and will be reviewed by the IRCP/FRCP panels who may a recommendation to  Postgraduate Dean/Director for possible extension or termination of training.
Sick leave will be monitored by the Practice. The Educational Supervisor will inform the Postgraduate Dental Dean/Director immediately should the Foundation Dentist have a cumulative sickness absence greater than 10 days. The Foundation Dentist will agree to consent to a reasonable request for a medical examination (at the Practice's expense) by a doctor nominated by the Practice should the Practice so require. The Foundation Dentist will agree that any report produced in connection with any such examination may be disclosed to the Practice and the Postgraduate Dean/Director may discuss the contents of the report with the relevant doctor.

Maternity/Adoption

Upon notification to the Practice of pregnancy/adoption, the Foundation Dentist is entitled to up to 52 weeks’ maternity/adoption leave (Statutory Maternity Leave). During the period of Statutory Maternity Leave, the Foundation Dentist’s fixed-term contract of employment will continue unless either party expressly ends it or until it expires without being renewed by the Practice. The contract will not be automatically extended to allow a Foundation Dentist to complete any Maternity or Adoption Leave. Continuation of the contract includes all terms and conditions applying to the Foundation Dentist under the contract, save for the terms as to remuneration.
Foundation Dentists, who properly qualify with sufficient continuous employment with the Practice, are entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay/Statutory Adoption Pay as the case may be. Statutory Maternity Pay will be paid for the first 6 weeks at 90% of average earnings and then at the prescribed rate of Statutory Maternity Pay for the following 33 weeks. The FD has the right to reasonable time off with pay to receive antenatal care and to attend antenatal classes.
FDs should note that although they have the right to maternity leave, the Contract is fixed term. If it expires while the FD is on maternity leave, then they will be treated as dismissed unless the Contract is renewed on or before its termination. The law does not give FDs the right to return to their employment after the Contract end date has passed unless they have explicitly agreed with the Practice and the Postgraduate Dean/Directors in writing for their training to be extended.  Such an extension to training will require a new contract of employment. Where such an extension to training is considered by the Postgraduate Dean/Directors to be necessary and appropriate, but another training practice is required to complete the training, the Postgraduate Dean/Directors will endeavour to find a suitable Educational Supervisor and training practice to allow the FD to achieve the Foundation Training requirements for certification, although this cannot be guaranteed. HEE or equivalent is not responsible for the FDs employment and is not obligated to find a suitable training placement.
If an FD’s Contract ends before her ‘qualifying week’ (the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth) she will not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) but may be able to claim Maternity Allowance. If the Contract ends in or after the qualifying week and she meets the qualifying conditions for SMP (length of service, etc.), she is entitled to receive SMP for the full 39 week period (or until she starts a new job, whichever is sooner).  The Practice will be responsible for paying all of the SMP but it may be able to reclaim the payments from the Government.