Ggrrrr, council started my mat leave early

[lauramumof2]

Im just having a sound off because im pissed off with work.
I know they are quite within their rights to do it.

I have been off sick since the 2nd June as I am really anemic and exhuasted. I was signed off with disability of pregnancy. So I have had a few lines and my mat leave was due to start on Monday coming but I got a letter in saying that the mat leave started on the 11th June. The baby isnt coming till 15 August and as I cannot afford to take unpaid mat leave I will need to go back to work when the baby is 4 months old .

Under the terms and conditions of my employer (the council) I have to go back to work for 3 months.

I knew they probably would do this but it doesnt make it any easier to stomach.

 

[Rosieroo]

Under the terms and conditions of my employer (the council) I have to go back to work for 3 months

IS this because of your mat pay that you'll be getting? Sounds harsh

 

[Hypnorm]

i got signed ooff a month before my mat leave was due tostart, but the doc put 'condition unrelated to pregnancy, he said he did this on purpose so my employers couldn't start my mat leave early.

 

[lauramumof2]

I think so. You get a slightly higher mat pay which you think at the time is great but then you have to go back for 3 months. They give with one hand and take away with the other but at least its a job and its not exactly difficult but I just hate the way they go about things.

 

[Amanda]

I'm also signed off sick until my maternity leave starts, and the lady I spoke to in my HR department said they couldn't force you to take maternity leave until you were 36 weeks. Are you sure they are within their rights to do this to you Laura???

 

[lauramumof2]

flippin heck tanket you are a star

I checked the gov website then phoned personel who have the wrong due date for my baby. They are going to double check the paper work and get back to me.

THANK YOU

 

[Rosieroo]

Just going to say that I found this on the DTI website

A woman’s maternity leave starts automatically if she is absent from work for a pregnancy related illness during the four weeks before the start of her EWC, regardless of when she has said she actually wants her maternity leave to start.

So definately looks like they can't make you!!

 

[lauramumof2]

Honestly folks,
they will have got me mixed up with one of the other pg girls.
Nightmare, especially as we get paid on wednesday and the wages will be through with me on mat pay instead of full sick.

 

[Amanda]

Brilliant news Laura!!

I'm so glad I could finally help someone else, because it's usually me asking the questions!!! In fact, I asked a similar thing to this a couple of weeks ago, and if memory serves me correct, it was Rach who told me this! So another lot of thanks should go to Rach!! (Damn, I was hoping to get the credit!! )

 

[K X]

Laura I work for Edinburgh Council and was signed off 3 months prior to mat leave commencing due to a dislocated knee and me being in plaster cast ankle to thigh-HELLISH!

I was sick from end of Oct til 8 Jan, then started mat leave (bex was due 28 Jan) I got 14 weeks full pay.

They r only allowed to force u 2 start mat leave early if u r sigend off with a pg related reason, but the max is only 4 weeks b4 u were due to go off anyway (if that makes sense!)

 

[lauramumof2]

hiya kx,
thanks for your reply. Were you caught up with the wages thing that happening just now with your council?

Im still waiting on a call back from my personel but from what you girls have said and from what I have read in the paper I am in the right.

The silly thing is they must have known my due date because they already sent me out a letter stating my mat leave was starting on the 11th July (at my request previous to being ill).

Now am I being silly but why would I want my mat leave to start 2 weeks after supposedly giving birth (they thought my due date was the end of June)

 

[*saulino*]

Hi

Hun thats too bad i feel for you i couldnt do it i still cant and Kiara is almost 6months old, here in Canada we get a year off .
Katrina