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Maternity leave advice for starting to plan for baby number 1

Hello everyone 

I'm new to the forum and would appreciate some advice. My OH and I are getting married next summer and hoping to start trying for a baby next December . I'm currently in a permenant job of 3 years but want to change careers and have seen a job advertised. My OH is worried that I will lose maternity rights if I start a new job. If I was successful I'd be looking at starting the job in January 2014 which would be 8 months before the wedding and 11 months before we plan to start trying. Would I be entitled to maternity leave if this happened?   

Replies

  • you can get leave regardless of how long you have worked, but getting paid is another matter:

    Statutory Maternity Leave

    You qualify for Statutory Maternity Leave if:

    you’re an employee (and not a ‘worker’)

    you give your employer the correct notice

    It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been with your employer, how many hours you work or how much you get paid.

     

    Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

    To qualify for SMP you must:

    earn on average at least £109 a week

    give the correct notice

    give proof you’re pregnant

    have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks up to the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth - called the ‘qualifying week’

    www.gov.uk/.../eligibility

    I'm rubbish at maths but I think you'd make eligibility for mat pay.

  • I think you'd be fine, you'd definitely get SMP and if the new job gives any additional maternity pay you'd more than likely get that too as you'd have been working there over a year and a half before going on ML.

  • Thank you for your replies. I really appreciate it. That sounds like I should be ok then.   :-).  

  • Usual rule of thumb is you need to have worked for the employer for 1 week before conceiving to qualify.

  • To qualify for my work enhanced maternity pay you require two years continuous service. You would need to check with any new employer if they have an enhanced package and what the conditions are.

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