How much maternity leave to have?

[Ella1979]

Every company should have a maternity policy. As others have said, once you've told them you're pregnant, I'm sure they'll be able to tell you their policy.

Last time I took 52 weeks maternity and all my accrued annual leave in one go, so ended up with just under 14 months off in total. Pay-wise I had SMP plus enhanced pay from work, but paid over 9 months, with no money for the final 3 (awful, it was really tough). This time I'm opting for the pay to be spread over the 12 months. I've still got accrued bank holidays from last year (when I was on maternity leave) to take plus my usual annual leave before I go on next maternity leave. I'm thinking of leaving 4/5 weeks before due date this time round, but if all the annual leave has to be taken before my maternity leave, I'll be going 8 weeks before.

 

[Tigger87]

I work for a small company without a hr dept and the only information in my "handbook" is "we comply with the statutory requirements for maternity".

Best thing to do, for now, is to look at your statutory minimum legal entitlement:

6 weeks at 90% pay and then 33 weeks at SMP of £136 (ish) or your normal wage if that's lower.

You will be entitled to take up to 52 weeks off (one year) and you only have to notify work when your 25 weeks, but are more than entitled to change your mind giving 4 weeks notice as to when you want to leave.

You accrue holidays as if you were working your normal hours (so 28 days a year minimum for a full time employee - pro rata as appropriate for less hours worked).

They cannot discriminate against you because your pregnant, so any "normal" benefits you'd get (eg extra holidays than statutory) still apply, the above is just the bare minimum (that I can think of off the top of my head). It's a starting point at least because I know small companies can be difficult to get info out of. I work for an accountant - we have a payroll dept to advise businesses on what compliance they need to have re employment manuals, policies etc, and I still haven't seen anything like this from my own company!!!!

 

[Sophie_P]

I have already calculated minimum money that will be coming in, any other benefits is a bonus.

 

[Gemsy]

Yes, agree with Tigger - if your company is smaller, they won't have an intranet, and they probably won't have a separate policy. I run a small company, and we have a staff handbook that has a section on maternity in. If its a small company they will probably just give you statutory (certainly under their policy anyway), to safeguard themselves financially. I wouldn't worry about it too much, tell them at 12 weeks (or later if you want), and then you can start thinking about what you want to do. Remember sometimes you do want to go earlier, as you just don't feel up to carrying on working. What everyone has told me when you have your first baby is to make the most of any maternity you take before the baby arrives, as once you have another, you will never get to relax in that time again! lol

 

[Sophie_P]

The company is massive, it's a bus company for the most of East Midlands so I was quite surprised I haven't found anything.

 

[holly1]

I'm planning to go on mat leave on my due date but take two weeks annual leave before hand so il officially leave work at 38 weeks (all pending I'm ok health wise) I'm planning in taking a year and depending how money goes I would like to take an additional two months. I'm quite lucky I get 7 months full pay then smp then last 3 months is nothing. But I already don't want to go back just because I would love to look after my child myself but finances dictate otherwise. Think the best I can do is go part time by dropping a day but so wish it was more x

 

[Rednursie]

I'm planning to go on mat leave on my due date but take two weeks annual leave before hand so il officially leave work at 38 weeks (all pending I'm ok health wise) I'm planning in taking a year and depending how money goes I would like to take an additional two months. I'm quite lucky I get 7 months full pay then smp then last 3 months is nothing. But I already don't want to go back just because I would love to look after my child myself but finances dictate otherwise. Think the best I can do is go part time by dropping a day but so wish it was more x

I'm not sure if its different in the Uk but in Ireland you must start you maternity leave no later than 2 weeks before your due date. I will also have 2 weeks holiday so will end up finished 4 weeks before due date-This doesn't bother me though as I am a nurse and my shifts are 13 hours long so by 36 weeks I'm sure I will have had enough!
I will get paid for 6 months but I am going to try and take a further 3 if finances permit so 9 months in total xxx