It can be challenging to announce your pregnancy at work. I was looking forward to it. It was even worse because I was still on maternity leave application when I discovered I was expecting Alice. Let’s say that my previous position at an advertising firm was demanding and fast-paced. I knew how they would respond—they would be pleased for me, but they would also immediately start thinking about all the assignments that would need to be completed. Due to client meetings and TV shoots, I frequently rescheduled doctor appointments, even one of my scans.
I had virtually little knowledge of anything. When should I notify my employer, and what rights did I have after that? Most importantly, what would my salary be? If I’m being honest, I’m not even sure I understood it afterwards. It is perplexing.
So I decided that presenting you with a short guide would be beneficial. I must emphasise, however, that this is only my understanding of the laws; therefore, if you have any issues or concerns, kindly contact your HR department.
When to disclose your Maternity Leave in your company
It is up to you to inform your employer about your maternity leave application, but it must be done by the end of the fifteenth week before the due date. I decided to tell them soon after my 12-week scan mainly because I wasn’t exactly silent and was eager to discuss it with my colleagues! On the other hand, a friend of mine waited almost six months before telling her workplace.
To make them aware date, your baby is due. You must provide them with a MATB1 form and your medical certificate. At about 20 weeks, your midwife or doctor can offer this. When you decide to tell your employer, you don’t need this right away, but they will need the paperwork before your maternity leave starts.
When did maternity leave start?
You can take maternity leave any time after the eleventh week before your baby is due. Most women decide to begin between two and three weeks before the due date to maximise their maternity leave.
If you work late for any reason related to your pregnancy in the final four weeks before the due date, your employer has the right to start your maternity leave.
How long is your maternity leave?
You decide how much you leave to take after giving birth. Women are required by law to take at least two weeks off right away after giving birth, and you have the option to take up to 52 weeks, or one year, of maternity leave.
Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML) is the first 26 weeks of your maternity leave, and Additional Maternity Leave (AML) is the last 26 weeks for a total of 52 weeks. If you decide to take AML, you must do it immediately following your OML without a break.
Once you’ve informed your employer of the day you wish to start your maternity leave, they’ll probably put together a calendar for you that will indicate when your leave expires and when you’ll be required to go back to work.
Most people are pretty savvy when using vacation time to their benefit. I took over a week of vacation, which added to my maternity leave.
Maternity Pay And paternity leave
This is the part that I’m assuming will worry the majority of you. I was, I’m sure. Depending on your specific contract, you may or may not be paid while on maternity leave. Some fortunate women are paid entirely or partially during their maternity leave. The majority will be compensated with Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), which may last up to 39 weeks.
When you are 15 weeks pregnant and have worked continuously for the same employer for 26 weeks, you are eligible to file for SMP. This might help to clarify it a little bit!
You are compensated 90% of your gross profits for the first six weeks of SMP. You will be paid weekly or 90% of your regular salary. Whichever value is lowest. Your employer will pay for this in the same manner as usual.
It is worth asking because you could still be able to receive some of your benefits. For example, I chose to accept the car allowance rather than participate in the company car programme. This was fantastic because it gave me more money than I spent on the automobile.
It’s high time to start saving.
Day off
You can take time off work to attend antenatal and doctor’s appointments when pregnant.
Your rights at the workplace
You will enjoy all the same privileges during your OML, including the ability to accrue vacation time and get regular wage increases. Additionally, your contract’s conditions should hold via OML and AML. The one exception is that you won’t receive your regular wage unless you receive full maternity leave.
If any concerns affect you or your role, your employer should stay in touch with you throughout your maternity leave. This might relate to job openings or promotions. Additionally, they are prohibited from altering your contract without your consent.
This counts as ongoing employment while you are on maternity leave. This is crucial for some rights, including obtaining statutory redundancy pay should the need arise.
Days of staying in touch
You are permitted to work and get paid for up to 10 days during your maternity leave, known as “keeping in touch days.” These should be discussed with your company and are an excellent method to catch up before returning or for events like team meetings or training. All of them are optional. Never have I. Additionally, your employer is not required to provide you with these, so if it’s something you’d like to do, it might be worth a conversation.
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Going back to work
Most of the time, your employer erroneously believes you’ll use all 52 weeks of your statutory maternity leave. If you decide to return earlier than this, you must inform your employer before you leave for maternity leave. If you choose to return earlier than this after giving birth, you must give your employer eight weeks’ written notice of your intended return date.
Following your Regular Maternity Leave Application, you are entitled to return to your prior position. Unless it is not reasonably practical, you should be allowed to return to your old job after your additional maternity leave. If so, you need to offer an appropriate, similar role.
If you are denied plans to return for any reason, you may be eligible to file a claim for discrimination or unjust dismissal.
Unfortunately, you do not automatically have the right to return part-time after your maternity leave. Your employer will decide on this. Therefore you need to talk to them about it. Any demands for flexible scheduling must be taken into account. I was fortunate that I could pick Molly up from daycare four days a week and work through lunch to finish 30 minutes early. After Alice, I wanted to work fewer hours, but that wasn’t possible, so I moved on to greener pastures.
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