In a small but significant victory for the Parental Pay Equality Team, we have managed to get the guidance for KIT days changed so that small admin tasks no longer count towards Keeping In Touch (KIT) days while claiming MA.
While work for self-employed mums is currently still limited to 10 KIT days during the MA period, a small but significant change to the decision-makers guidance has been made to allow “essential admin” during the MA period that do not count towards your KIT days. This has not yet been updated in the main page of government guidance here, where it still says that as little as half-an hours work can count as a KIT day but is instead hidden away in the decision-maker guidance, here.
This means that maintaining a website, corresponding with clients or maintaining equipment and keeping professional qualifications up to date no longer count towards kit days.
“Note: Undertaking minimal maintenance and admin tasks (see Appendix 1 to this Chapter) does not count towards those ten days.”
Minimal Maintenance and Admin Tasks:
- Carrying out necessary administration.
- Accepting work which is due to start after the woman’s return to work and after her MA ends.
- Carrying out essential maintenance to the woman’s website or equipment. Responding to correspondence requesting information as long as it does not relate to work to be carried out before the woman’s return to work and before her MA ends.
- Keeping essential formal qualifcations and licenses up-to-date. Keeping skills at an acceptable level.
- This should not include formal paid-for training.
- Preparing for work arranged before the woman’s MAP starts but to be carried out after her return to work and after her MA ends.
