Local Governemnt (or Council) workers

[Fruity01]

Are there any ladies who are employed by their local council on here as I'm looking for some advice.

I'm 33 weeks pregnant and been off work the past week and half with this pelvic pain and had a hospital admission in between. I had a sick note off GP last week but told him I'm keen to get back into work so the sick note was only for 3 days. I returned to work yesterday and to be honest the pain was bad and I don't think I'm gonna cope too good over next two weeks I got left in work.

What i want to know is does being on sick leave (I get paid full pay when on sick) affects maternity pay in anyway?

I am finishing work next Friday (hopefully) I will then take 2 weeks annual leave and maternity leave will begin middle of April.

Thanks in advance for any advice or experience shared.
F.

 

[CDx]

My work is an arms length organisation of Glasgow City Council but we get pretty much the same terms and conditions as council workers. If I was off sick with 4 weeks of my maternity leave start date my maternity leave would start then instead of my chosen date. But with regards to sick pay you will still be entitled to your normal terms and conditions it shouldn't reduce the rate of pay you get etc
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There should be the full policy on company intranet, I also got a copy sent out with my confirmation of maternity leave letter.

 

[first_time_mum]

I worked for my local.council when I was pregnant with my little girl and I had bad spd and was signed off a couple of weeks before I was due to leave, they just started my maternity leave early and my pay wasn't effected at all hun xx

 

[littlemonkey]

I work in the public sector which seems to be similar.

Being off sick shouldn't effect your pay as you're on full sick pay. My maternity pay is based on what I earned when I was 25 weeks pregnant, essentially my January pay. You'll probably be the same as I'm 32 weeks.

Like CDx says, if you're sick within four weeks of your planned maternity leave, even if it's only for one day, they will start you on maternity leave and you will then receive maternity pay instead of full pay.

 

[Fruity01]

I thought that was the case just got slightly confused as I am taking two weeks annual leave before mat leave starts and I had no intention of having a sick paper to cover those two weeks just to save me some leave.

My boss has previously told me if I'm not well enough to come in to phone in sick and I told her then that I am cautious of doing this incase the higher boss forces my mat leave early. She said I don't think she'd do that as she will prob have a discussion with me (on about my boss here) before deciding anything!

What I don't happening is I have another few days off coz of the pain and then I get a phone call or letter from HR saying mat leave will begin as of ????

Thanks for ur replies ladies, much appreciated as always.

F.

 

[Nonabean]

I'm pretty sure the law states that if you are off with pregnancy related issues after 29 weeks your employer is entitled to start your Maternity Leave as of then. Different companies have different policies, but that's the bottom line. If they started your Mat Leave now though, you would still have your two weeks annual leave to take before you go back/when you go back to work xx

 

[Fruity01]

Yea that's right any pregnancy related issues may trigger mat leave. I don't want this happening till middle of april as I planned so it's a case of grin and bare the pain till next Friday :-/

Thanks again

F.

 

[littlemonkey]

Yea that's right any pregnancy related issues may trigger mat leave. I don't want this happening till middle of april as I planned so it's a case of grin and bare the pain till next Friday :-/

Thanks again

F.

You sound like me fruity. I finish on the first of April but am taking two weeks leave so don't actually start mat leave until the 20th. I think I'm just coming into the four weeks window now. I'm bloody exhausted already and every one tells me I should finish now. But I don't want to lose four weeks full pay. I can't take my leave any earlier either cos it's out of next year's entitlement that doesn't start until April! I'm just doing what I can to struggle on in for the next few weeks.

Would your work consider reducing your hours slightly? I'm currently on what's called moderated duties, so I work a couple of hours less a day but still receive my full pay. With being the council your work should offer something similar.

 

[Fruity01]

Oh I've never heard of that little monkey will ask my boss when I have my back to work interview about it.

Thank you very much for mentioning that!

F.

 

[littlemonkey]

Oh I've never heard of that little monkey will ask my boss when I have my back to work interview about it.

Thank you very much for mentioning that!

F.

Definitely worth asking. My work never mentioned it last time until I said I was going early cos I was struggling before they had hired my replacement. Funnily enough they then said I could work less hours and drop my late shifts if I stayed on until my replacement was in post!

This time I've been working an hour less from about 26 weeks. I probably should ask to drop more for the remainder, but for a couple of weeks I don't see the point!

 

[Baby2sky]

I'm pretty sure the law states that if you are off with pregnancy related issues after 29 weeks your employer is entitled to start your Maternity Leave as of then. Different companies have different policies, but that's the bottom line. If they started your Mat Leave now though, you would still have your two weeks annual leave to take before you go back/when you go back to work xx

No thats not true. The law is that if you are off sick with pregnancy related illness in the last 4 weeks of your pregnancy they can start your leave from then.

 

[Baby2sky]

Also just to say they cant make your maternity leave start early if you're off sick with pregnancy related illness 4 weeks before your maternity leave start date. Its four weeks before your due date.

 

[Fruity01]

My boss has been looking into it for me and it has been agreed I can work reduced hours (6 hours a day from 8am - 2pm) till go off on annual leave, which is now delayed to Monday 30th March as I was using this as flexi but will not be able to build the hours now. It won't be too bad as I will be in the hospital most of the morning

I had another option of taking a full day off this week and next to rest but choose the reduced hours.

My boss also said about going sick and I said no as I don't want my mat leave forced upon me as my official start date is now less than 4 weeks (due in 8 weeks).

Many thanks ladies for your assistance it's appreciaite very much
F.

 

[Baby2sky]

If you're not due for another 8 weeks then they cant force early mat leave on you hun xxx

 

[Fruity01]

Oh I was informed it was 4 weeks within my mat leave start date which is 12th April. Not due till 4th May :-/

 

[Baby2sky]

No hun its if you're sick 4 weeks from your due date x

 

[littlemonkey]

My boss has been looking into it for me and it has been agreed I can work reduced hours (6 hours a day from 8am - 2pm) till go off on annual leave, which is now delayed to Monday 30th March as I was using this as flexi but will not be able to build the hours now. It won't be too bad as I will be in the hospital most of the morning

I had another option of taking a full day off this week and next to rest but choose the reduced hours.

My boss also said about going sick and I said no as I don't want my mat leave forced upon me as my official start date is now less than 4 weeks (due in 8 weeks).

Many thanks ladies for your assistance it's appreciaite very much
F.

Fantastic! It pays to ask about all these things.

 

[Fruity01]

Awe never mind I guess they doing me a favour allowing me to work reduced hours so I will leave it at that just hope I can cope..... Not that I am a person to pull a sicky but this pregnancy has been very hard and trying for me :-/ and left me no choice. I've already had 3 periods of sickness since September so really didn't want the 4th in my record

F.

 

[CDx]

Don't be worrying about your absence levels, pregnancy related illness cannot contribute towards disciplinary action or be considered if there should be any redundancies etc. just make sure you and LO are ok.

 

[Fruity01]

I didn't know that either CDx lol. Thank you!