Can someone tell me about Keeping in Touch days please?

[sleepychunky]

I'm going on maternity leave in a couple of weeks' time and had a chat today with my boss about all the work which needs to be done whilst I'm away. There are some things she'd like me to come back and do (reports to write for projects I've been involved with from the start) which I'm happy to do under the Keeping in Touch days we're allowed to have now (which didn't exist last time I went on mat leave 2½ years ago).
But, we don't know how I should be paid for them and I can't seem to find any information anywhere.
Has anybody got any experience of how these should be remunerated, or can point me in the right place? I'm thinking that it's probably arranged on an individual basis between employer and employee, so we can agree it ourselves, but (for example) do I have to pay tax/NI on any payments, would they be paid in my regular monthly pay or as one-off payments, and am I right in thinking it's 10 days maximum regardless of the length of time I'm on mat leave (still not sure how long I'll be away for, but probably 6 months like last time).
Any advice gratefully received, or links to other sites (I thought Directgov or BERR might help but I can't seem to find anything specific to answer my questions!)
Thanks in advance to anyone with experience of sorting this out with their employers

[doughnutty]

I can't really answer your question but this is what happened to me.
I asked at my work about these with the idea I would try to fit them in whilst on the unpaid bit of my ML. Thought it would mean I'd get some money coming in.
I a manager for not just any large retailer so assumed they would have a way of recording with payroll.
HR told me the days would be informally recorded in store by my boss and "paid" when I returned to work probably in the form of time owing rather than pay..

Not sure this encourages me to go in to be honest. But hopefully your employers are better organised than mine.

[mummywoowoo]

I'm dong these KIT days but actually wished I hadn't agreed to do so. Its a pain to be honest but I feel as though I'd be letting colleagues down.

Just saying you may want to be flexible about when you start those KIT days... and not promise anything... this is how it is for me but understand if you're not in the same situation.

I get paid normal rate for them, on top of mat benefit. Its 10 days regardless of length of leave I believe...

[flowerybeanbag]

Pay for KIT days is negotiated between you and your employer. People use them for all sorts of things, some for whole days and others for popping in for an hour, so it wouldn't be right for the government to say they must be paid in a certain way.

If it helps, most employers either top up SMP to a full day's pay, or some add a full day's pay on top of SMP. It's tax and NI-able, just as normal, and just as your SMP is.

Most employers would pay it as they would normally pay you, so usually at the end of the month with your SMP for that month.

[sleepychunky]

Thanks for your replies. I work for a small charity and there is no maternity cover for me whilst I'm gone as we can't afford it, so there are certain things I really want to go back to do because otherwise they won't be done properly and may impact on future funding.
Flowery, thanks for your suggestions and about how payment is made. I think I need to work out what my daily rate is and base any discussions on that. I think my boss is also going to ask advice from our accountants, but it's all very new to us (I'm the first one to be on mat leave with KIT days an option) so we're testing the water a bit.
Will go in armed with some more info tomorrow - thanks again

[flowerybeanbag]

No problem. If you work f/t 5 days a week your daily rate will usually be your salary divided by 260 btw.

[BikeRunSki]

I was allowed up to 12 KIT days. I was on mat leave + accumulated annual leave for 54 weeks (been back 8 weeks).

I took 4 KIT days have accumulated them as additional annual leave this year. I work for a large public sector organisation.

A friend of mien took about 10 KIT days, for which she got a combination of pay at 1/(work day in year) of her annual salary (ie what she gets paid per work day) and time off in lieu. She works for a charity.

[sleepychunky]

Ooh, my daily rate is more than I thought Think I will go for that rather than extra annual leave, as long as boss agrees.
You're all so helpful - thank you!