Maternity pay

[warpig3]

Afternoon all, this is a bit complicated but it follows on from something ojread2 said in another post.

I am currently on a career break from the civil service which commenced on 1/03/07. I receive no pay but am still employed by them and bound by the same rules and codes of conduct as a paid employee. I am still eligible to apply for internal promotions etc and can return any time I like as long as I give them sufficient notice of my intentions.

I was considering terminating my career break and returning to work prior to the birth, taking my maternity leave then returning to work full time with the option of going part time at a later stage.

My question is, would I be entitled to fully paid maternity leave as I have would not have been working for them for 26 weeks prior to 15 weeks before my due date?

PS. I currently have 19 years service with them and this would be my first application for maternity leave.

Hope that makes sense.

thanks
warpig

[Psychick]

I would say, and this is a guess, that you will be entitled to full pay as , even though your not currently working, you are still classed as being emplyed by them and have been for the period you need to be to be entitled to full pay.

How are you doing anyway? Did you enjoy your holiday with your family and have you had your scan yet?

[ojread2]

Hi warpig3

I see no reason why you would not be intitled to OML and AML if you are still employed by your company and have remianed in continuous. Your career break comes under the flexi working ours heading which you would be automatically entitled to apply for once you have children anyway

However, I would query your SMP entitlement purely because the amount you recieve as part of the 90% of your wages package for the first 6 weeks is based on how much you earnt in the last 8 weeks of working. You then get the Standard rate or a rate equal to 90% of your average weekly earnings. You will get whichever rate is lower for 33 weeks. But, saying that, if you go on ML for the full 52 weeks you are now entitled to and fall pregnant agin during the unpaid part, you would get all the same benefits again

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/

ojx

[ojread2]

That should say 'continuous employment' at the end of the first sentence

[warpig3]

Thanks girls, thats a relief, nearly had a heart attack at the thought of working for 19 years and then not being entitled to anything cos I went on a career break!

Hi pyschick, had my scan last week and my due date is now 20th Feb. How weird are scans???? I found it really hard to associate what I was seeing on screen with what was going on inside my tummy. ~But baby warpig was moving around like nobody's business, arms up, arms down, legs in, legs out, (and you shake it all about.....♫♫)! It was absolutely fascinating to say the least. Mr warpig however seemed to be preoccupied with how the equiptment worked and kept asking the radiographer how everything works and what the measurements were, blah, blah, blah, just like the science geek he is!

Had an appointment with the consultant today on all the aspects of me having an anmioscientesis (sp?), cant say that it eased my mind fully, in fact it created more questions than it answered. Still, I don't have to make a decision immediately so will do some reading up first.

Other than that, everything is fine, still tired, not sick any more (yipee!), and no baby bump (yet).

How are things with you psychick, hope all is well with you and bump too.

Many thanks for the reassurances.
warpig

PS had a lovely time at home, thank you for asking.

[warpig3]

oj forgot to say - many thanks for the link, never thought to look there, d'oh!

[ojread2]

I'll forgive you - pregancy brain and all that ;P

glad things are going well for you. Are you :cough: an older mum? I had my youngest at 38 and because of the big age gap between my 2 they counted me as a first time mum again

oj

[warpig3]

LOL oj, first time mum twice, thats really sweet! Dare I ask what the age gap was?

[fine,thanks]

PREGNANT ? no one told me

[warpig3]

Did it again, forgot to answer your question, you are not wrong about the pregnancy brain! Yes, I am 39 and will be the big 40 by the time I give birth.

[warpig3]

Hi Crete, sorry, have been away for a good few weeks (the cops finally caught up with me, and banged me up good 'n' proper!).

Yes I will be 14 weeks tomorrow, was kinda keeping it quite until after 12 weeks, which is darn hard with that new thingy up in the right hand corner telling everyone your business!

Fancy knitting some booties????

[fine,thanks]

well well well, im delighted to hear your news, hope settled in ok in east of scotland is this a first pregnancy ? knitting needles poised! just say the word.

[Psychick]

Youre ahead of me again on the due date the warpig, mine is still the 25th feb! What is it with men and those machines? lol My boyfriend was quite fascinated by it too lol
Lucky you! My sickness is worse than ever and Ive been in maternity wear for 2 or 3 weeks now! Glad everything is going well for you though and that you had a good holiday :)

fine,thanks while youre there with the needles.......booties with a matching hat would be wonderful! lol

[Preggie_Sam]

Ive been working for my company just under 1 year (by 3 weeks) so i dont get full mattie pay BUT i do get 90% of my wage for the first 6 weeks...then the rest 33 weeks i get statiory (cant spell that lol) pay which is not alot at all...


Sam & Bump x

[ojread2]

Hiya

I have a 15 year age gap! eeek lol. The eldest one has now left home so it's like having an only child all over again as well :). They both idiolise each other which is great from a mums eye view

oj xx

[ojread2]

Preggie_sam that IS full maternity pay :)

hth
oj x

[warpig3]

Ha ha oj, 15 years, that must have been a bit of a shock to the system. This is my first pregnancy so I am bricking it a bit!

crete, how about lime green and purple striped booties and bobble hat to go with the half finished jumper! East Scotland is ok but after being home for a while and taking into consideration the support network I would have over there mrwarpig and I are considering going back. I don't really fancy being here and having no one to rely on:-o(

Also I was checking out properties in Donegal regarding my 'small holding' dream so all things considered it would make better sense to be back there, but I will wait and see what happens.

warpig
xx

[ojread2]

LOL it was a shock - a planned one though :)

Have to admit she makes me feel younger than my 42 years.

I think if I could offer you one piece of advice is to make sure every decidion you make about this baby is an informed one; from how you give birth to what buggy you buy :)

good Luck!
ojx