If you are absent on maternity/paternity or adoption leave your membership of the Scheme will continue for any paid statutory leave period but you will not be required to make either Ordinary Contributions or AVCs unless you wish to do so.

You must advise HR Advice if you wish to continue making contributions during the paid statutory period. Allen & Overy's contributions for this period will continue to be based on your Pensionable Salary, but you may base your AVCs and Ordinary Contributions on either the salary you actually receive or your Pensionable Salary.

Once the paid leave period has ended, your membership of the Scheme will be suspended until the earliest of:

• the date you return to work;
• the date you inform Allen & Overy that you have decided not to return to work, in which case your membership will be deemed to have terminated at the end of the statutory period; or
• the date you lose the right to return to work.

If you die during the agreed period of maternity/paternity or adoption leave, the same benefits will be payable as if you had died in employment, unless you have previously informed Allen & Overy that you are not returning to work, in which case you will be treated as having left employment.

You will receive the same benefits during your maternity/paternity or adoption leave as you were entitled to while on unpaid leave or a career break immediately before the start of your maternity/paternity or adoption leave - see below for details.

If you are off work due to illness, and you continue to receive a Salary, your membership of the Scheme will be maintained and you and Allen & Overy will continue to make contributions.

If you are on unpaid sick leave your pensionable employment will be suspended and no Employer's Core Contributions, Ordinary Contributions and Matching Contributions are payable.

If you are transferred to Permanent Health Insurance special terms will apply. Details are available from HR Advice.

Unless Allen & Overy decides otherwise, if your absence is not Paid Absence, your pensionable employment is suspended and no Core Contributions, Ordinary Contributions and Matching Contributions are payable. However, unless Allen & Overy notifies you otherwise, you remain a member of the Scheme for death benefits.

Your pensionable employment is suspended and no Employer's Core Contributions, Ordinary Contributions or Matching Contributions are payable. However, subject to the rest of this section and unless Allen & Overy notifies you otherwise, you remain a member of the Scheme for death benefits. If your career break commenced on or after 1 June 2015, and you die during unpaid leave, a cash lump sum of 5 times your Salary immediately before your career break started is payable.

If your period of Career Break is a duration of 12 months or more, you will no longer be eligible to remain in the Scheme. Please refer to the leaver options and death benefits detailed under the section 'What happens to my benefits if I leave the scheme?'.

Special terms may apply, but Allen & Overy will endeavour to maintain your Scheme membership whilst you are abroad. Please contact HR Advice or your contact in the Global Mobility team who will be able to advise you.