How long is your mat leave going to be?

[positivity :)]

to be honest m2a, i would probably go back earlier if i had a reason too. we can manage for a year and OH wants me to stay off for a year so i thought i would. i dont think you should feel any guilt at all!! xxx

 

[littlemiss83]

It's a question I've been pondering too!!

I only get 12 weeks full pay then SMP, but as I work P/T is the SMP pro rata or a flat rate paid to everyone??

I have 6 weeks A/L saved so hopefully I can leave in December, would love to be off for a year on ML the I would have 12 weeks A/L to use up before the following April, so could be off for a while!!

Im not 100% but I think its a standard rate for everyone, there's more info about it on the DWP website.

 

[knopk@]

I am getting SMP, its 6 weeks at 90% ant then 129/week until 39 weeks. But i am taking a full year out unless i desperately want to go back

 

[DW1978]

Dont feel guilty hun. I'm 'only' taking 5 months off as thats all we can afford (well, can't really 'afford' anything but I havetotake some time off) as I don't get any pay. To be honest, I did exactly the same with Lennon and it was so easy going back to work as Lennon didn't bat an eyelid being so young and cos he's always done it from such an early age I've never had a problem with him going to childcare or school, he's been fantastic.

 

[LoopyLouize]

Im so stuck on this subject!

My work don't bother with a maternity package, they selfishly just follow the government guildlines.

So I get 6 weeks at 90% pay then SMP for up to 36 weeks.

Think its going to depend on how far my money stretches as to how long I have off.

Considering I work for a company with over 600 employees across and 20 odd depots across the UK who rake in millions, you would have thought they would give us a better Maternity allowance !!!

 

[Princess81]

I'm hoping for a year, it may be a little less but will have to see x

 

[pinkyprincess]

Im so stuck on this subject!

My work don't bother with a maternity package, they selfishly just follow the government guildlines.

So I get 6 weeks at 90% pay then SMP for up to 36 weeks.

Think its going to depend on how far my money stretches as to how long I have off.

Considering I work for a company with over 600 employees across and 20 odd depots across the UK who rake in millions, you would have thought they would give us a better Maternity allowance !!!

I only get government guidelines too. If I worked for OHs firm I'd get more lol

 

[tinks77]

I'm taking 6 months full pay and 1 months leave. Working right up so try and get every second with baby!

 

[LoopyLouize]

Im so stuck on this subject!

My work don't bother with a maternity package, they selfishly just follow the government guildlines.

So I get 6 weeks at 90% pay then SMP for up to 36 weeks.

Think its going to depend on how far my money stretches as to how long I have off.

Considering I work for a company with over 600 employees across and 20 odd depots across the UK who rake in millions, you would have thought they would give us a better Maternity allowance !!!

I only get government guidelines too. If I worked for OHs firm I'd get more lol

They used to do a full 6 months pay 3 years ago ... But some new starter spoiled it for the rest of us !! The company re evaluated the maternity package because of her and they stripped it away from us all and just made it as per the government guidelines!

Grrrrrr makes me so angry!!!

 

[Emmamb]

20 weeks should b enough-when I had my eldest I was still at school and was back in class when he was 8 weeks old,was working with my second and mat leave was 20 weeks then and was 26 weeks with my 3rd-I moan about only having 6 weeks of my mat leave left now but this is the longest I've ever had off xx

 

[NinjaKitty]

I work for a small company and will only get the statutory. I think I'll be able to manage 9-10 months off with taking AL too. I want to go back part-time after that. I don't know how going back to work is gonna work out because my commute is awful and very unreliable. Will have to re-evaluate that I think.

 

[Welshy1]

I work for a multi national corporation but theyre really pants when it comes to Maternity leave. I get 90% pay for six weeks n thats it. My OH is unemployed at the mo and if he doesnt get a job by Xmas I'll only be havin two months off

 

[Cazza]

I've just read through my works Maternity Policy and can't make head nor tail of it!!!

I guess I'm just going to have to wait til I tell HR and let them work it out for me........although I have gleaned it's not as good as I thought so maybe not a year off for me then!!

 

[LoopyLouize]

I say us preggy women should strike!!

For better maternity pay!!

 

[Chookette]

I have stayed at my company for the last 6 years when normally I leave after about 4 years mainly due to the maternity leave pay that we get. Seems to be fairly good compared to allot of companies. I do know how lucky I am with that...

I plan to take a year off and then go back part time if the work I will be doing allows.... Otherwise I may have to go back full time and then my OH work part time if he can get it... Will have to wait and see...

 

[NinjaKitty]

You know in some ways I'm glad its statutory because although the money is pants I'll be free to decide if I want to go back or do something else. With the more generous packages you'd have to pay the extra money back if you decided that you didn't want to go back to work there.

 

[Chookette]

If I decide to not go back at the end of the 12 months I do not need to pay anything back... I just won't have a job. or money coming in.... Having to rely on my OH completely...