(1) Subject to subsection (2), an employee shall be entitled under this Division to maternity leave for a period deemed to be the period of entitlement to maternity leave and benefits under the National Insurance Corporation Act, provided that such period of entitlement shall not be less than 13 weeks and such leave shall, except in the case of premature delivery, be comprised of—
(a) at least 6 weeks before confinement; and
(b) at least 6 weeks after confinement unless the employee chooses to return to work before that time.
(2) An employee and an employer may agree that the employee commences maternity leave on a date later than 6 weeks before confinement.
(3) An employee shall not be obliged to return to work before the expiration of the period of her maternity leave but she may choose to return to work with full pay at anytime before the expiration of 3 months.