any reason why i should take the 3 extra months?

[Suzie and Faith]

maternity leave if i'm not going back and wouldn't be paid for it anyway?
Is there any reason why i should take it?? I can't think of one. My 6 months runs out on Dec 7th and i'm hoping i'll get a bulk holiday owed payment when i tell them i'm not going back and it would be handy to have that before xmas...

 

[maybebaby]

Th eonly advantage I can think of is that you continue to accrue holiday whilst on maternity leave, so would be entitled to 3 months worth extra if you take the additional leave.

 

[Suzie and Faith]

AH YES! I hadn't thought of that! Right that's great I will take the extra then i knew there must be a reason!!
many thanks! x

 

[BeckyJ]

great post

so glad i saw this, im not sure what im doin yet but this is definately something to bear in mind

 

[tuck]

you may want to check your annual leave policy whilst on AML

Accrual of holiday during OML & AML
Holiday accrues as normal under the contract during the 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave. During additional maternity leave the employee will accrue holiday under the Working Time Regulations. This entitles all employees to 20 days holiday per year. You may find it easier to allow the employee to continue accruing holidays as laid down in her contract rather than attempting to administer two systems.

also 3months holiday leave isnt that much. For example if you were entitled to 25 days annual leave per year then 3 months would work out to 7 days (as the amount should be rounded up to a full day)
(rough calculation is no of days entitlementdivide by 12 X by number of months due)

 

[kalia]

I'm confused (easily done ) you said your 6 months runs out soon so surely you would be better continuing to be employed for at least another 3 months as you get SMP for 39 weeks. I'm sure you went on maternity leave after me and I get paid until the beginning of January. The quote from Tuck is slightly out of date as from April 2007 OML is 39 weeks, not 26.

By the way, has anyone else noticed that Tuck always gives great advice here? I don't know that I've ever seen her elsewhere or heard er ask for help. She's like the Work Fairy

 

[chickadee1976]

I thought you got paid for 9 months???

QUote from DWP site "SMP is paid for:
First 6 weeks 90% of your average weekly earnings with no upper limit
Remaining 33 weeks Standard rate or a rate equal to 90% of your average weekly earnings. You will get whichever rate is lower.

The standard rate from 6 April 2008 is £117.18 per week.

SMP is earnings so your employer will deduct income tax and National Insurance contributions. Your employer may also make other deductions that would be made from your pay such as Trade union subscriptions and pension contributions. "

 

[Suzie and Faith]

I thought you got paid for 9 months???

QUote from DWP site "SMP is paid for:
First 6 weeks 90% of your average weekly earnings with no upper limit
Remaining 33 weeks Standard rate or a rate equal to 90% of your average weekly earnings. You will get whichever rate is lower.

The standard rate from 6 April 2008 is £117.18 per week.

SMP is earnings so your employer will deduct income tax and National Insurance contributions. Your employer may also make other deductions that would be made from your pay such as Trade union subscriptions and pension contributions. "

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I only get maternity allowance. Not SMP. So I only get 6 months of it.

 

[kalia]

MA is payable for 39 weeks too.

 

[drea b]

I'm on MA and I get it for 39 weeks.

Check the form that they sent to you after the accepted your application - it will give you the date that your payments stop.

 

[tuck]

The quote from Tuck is slightly out of date as from April 2007 OML is 39 weeks, not 26.

By the way, has anyone else noticed that Tuck always gives great advice here? I don't know that I've ever seen her elsewhere or heard er ask for help. She's like the Work Fairy

oops, sorry bout that, it's been a while since i was working.

and thank you Kalia, you've made me

(in my previous life i worked in HR and sickness and maternity were my speciality but i am getting a bit rusty now)

 

[valentine]

tuck, you're a star, you always give fab help!

Xxx

 

[Suzie and Faith]

I'm on MA and I get it for 39 weeks.

Check the form that they sent to you after the accepted your application - it will give you the date that your payments stop.

I'm sorry I've been being dumb. For some reason I counted the 6 months because of Faith's age. I will have had 9 months of maternity allowance as I took my maternity leave at 28 weeks! Sorry, i've got nappy brain!