Equal pay: No right to full pay during maternity leave

The principle of equal pay under Community law does not require that women should continue to receive full pay during maternity leave, holds the European Court of Justice in Gillespie and others v Northern Health and Social Services Board and others 13.2.96 Case C-342/93. Nor does it lay down specific criteria for determining the amount of benefit payable during that period, provided that it is not set so low as to jeopardise the purpose of maternity leave. But the Court rules that the amount of maternity pay has to take account of pay rises awarded during the maternity leave.