Help needed with translating Work stuff!

[tots hope]

Ok a few weeks ago i was diagnosed with SPD and since then things have got worse. Im in quite a lot of pain and really truggling with work.

I have checked our online handbook at work and wondered if anyone could make any sence out of it! I basically want to know if i w ill be entitled to sick pay if i get signed off work now or if my maternity leave kicks in.

It is probably quite simple but just wanted to see what you girls think it means so i know if to struggle on or if to get signed off.!

Ok this is what it says
"11.0 Sickness Absence

11.1 Maternity leave will not be treated as sick leave and will not therefore be taken into account for the calculation of a period of entitlement to sick leave.



11.2 Non-related maternity sickness absence
If an employee falls sick before the 4 th week before the EWC, they will be entitled to statutory sick pay or occupational sick pay.

11.2.1 If an employee is absent through sickness after the 4 th week of EWC they will be entitled to statutory sick pay.

11.3 Pregnancy related sickness absence
If the sickness absence is pregnancy related at the beginning of the 4 th week before the EWC, it will trigger statutory maternity leave on the day after the first complete day of pregnancy related absence from work and SMP will become payable. If the employee becomes sick during the maternity pay period they will not have entitlement to SSP as they will be in receipt of SMP. "

EWC = expected week of childbirth
SSP = statatory sick pay
SMP - statatory maternity pay

This is probably so simple but i just wanted to check everyone agreed with me before i decide what to do. I have the doctors on friday but i am thinking of bringing that forward due to the pain

 

[Sophie1102]

From that I'd say that you will be allowed sick pay up to week 35/36 (depending on what day of the week your due date is) and then they will automatically switch you to maternity pay

 

[jendav81]

That's what I got from it too xx

 

[Suzie and Faith]

Hi, it all is a bit confusing! Basically you can be on sick pay up until 4 weeks before you are due. Once you hit 4 weeks before you are automatically put on maternity leave.

The bit where you need to be careful is if you are on sick pay for a lot of the weeks before your maternity leave, your employer calculates your average earnings from 15 weeks before your maternity will start and if you have been on sick pay and thus on a low pay it could mean you have to claim MA rather than SMP.
This happened to me - but caused me no problems in the end!

I think you should be totally fine to go on sick until 4 weeks before due date, that way you still get sick pay and you will get your maternity starting at 3 weeks.

xx

 

[samandbump]

From that I'd say that you will be allowed sick pay up to week 35/36 (depending on what day of the week your due date is) and then they will automatically switch you to maternity pay

i had spd and was signed off on sick up until 36 weeks then they switched me to mat pay!!!!

 

[muppetmummy]

I took it to mean your maternity leave will only start automatically if you are off sick with a maternity related problem after 36 weeks

If you are ill with something not maternity related after 36 weeks you can claim normal sick pay.

 

[tots hope]

Ok thank you ladies - it doesn't make it very clear i don't think. Either that or my hormones are such that it doesn't allow it to be clear!

I am entitled to 3 or 6 months full pay of sick so i don't think this will affect my maternity pay in any way.

My maternity leave was due to start 4 weeks before baby was due so not even this will be changed which is a good thing

Just phoned the doctors to try and get an earlier appointment as i have a course tomorrow that i can't miss due to it being something to do with government stuff (not totally sure what!) but i don't think i will be able to sit there all day. Unfortunately the doctors don't have any appointments for 3 weeks! Thankfully i already have an appointment for friday so will talk to my boss about missing tomorrow.

Thank you for your help ladies - you are all really kind and lovely!