premise: The legislative maternity privileges shape a minimum standard of protection recognised by Parliament. Women and their employers (or their legislative bodies) are able to negotiate and consent to more constructive provision on a voluntary or contractual foundation, if they feel that this would be more beneficial in the long term. Where an employer and employee have agreed diverse provisions, an employee will always be able to declare her statutory rights if these are better than those agreed with her employer, therefore if the employee wishes a term by maternity privileges she is able to do so. This therefore means that an employee will not be obliged to accept maternity arrangements which are not as good as the legislative rights. In order to qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay, an employee will have to be an employed earner, therefore the employee will need to work for an organisation that is liable to pay the employees share of National Insurance contributions. To qualify for Maternity Allowance an employee must be, or have recently been either an employed or self-employed earner. The majority of people, who qualify for leave will also qualify for pay, and vice versa. All employees who are parents to new babies have a right to statutory leave with pay. However, there are a few legal clauses. For instance, the privileges relating to time off for antenatal care, to maternity leave and to protection against detriment or unfair dismissal in connection with maternity leave do not apply to the following groups: members of the police force, MPs, the judiciary and various company directors, or to masters or crew members engaged in share fishing paid solely by how much stock they have caught.
hypothesis: In order for an individual to qualify for maternity allowance, an employee will have to work for an organisation who are liable to pay the employees share of National Insurance contributions