returning to work

[trixipaws]

argh my plan was to not go back to work after my 9 months stat mat leave- well not the place i work at now anyway but my sis and mum both said you have to go back for a certain amount of time otherwise they take ur mat pay back???!!! is this true? if so, how long am i legally bound to go back then before i can get a new job?

 

[CoreysMummy]

Depends what Mat pay they give u! U only have to go back if they give u like full pay for 6 months or so. if its just the statutory then u dont have to go back at all.

 

[widowwadman]

If you only get SMP, you don't have to return.If they pay more than that you're incredibly lucky (and I'm not jealous in the least ) and you'll find a clause in your contract regarding how long you'll have to stay with them after.

 

[trixipaws]

ah, no they only pay me 3 months company pay. but i shall be taking the 9 months SMP off. so i dont have to go back??!!

 

[maybebaby]

What's the 3 months' company pay?

SMP is 90% of your wage for the first 6 weeks, then £117 ish or 90% of your wage (whichever is lower) for the remaining 33 weeks. Anything more than this you will have to pay back if you don't return.

Even if you get paid more you can still choose not to go back, just make sure you put aside the extra that they pay you and don't touch it so that when you tell them you're not returning you can pay it all back to them.

 

[trixipaws]

ah right so the company pay i'd have to pay back? last time i got 100% pay for 13 weeks (i think!) and then i got the £117 a week for the next 26 weeks. so 10% of the first 6 weeks and 100% of the next 7 weeks (less 7x£117) i'd have to pay back? ok i dont want to do that so how long must i return to work for before i can leave without paying it back???

 

[mumtotwo]

It should say in your contract how long you have to go back for. I think it's up to the company you work for - mine's 3 months x

 

[tuck]

check with your employers, also if you have any annual leave to take and you take this immediatly following your maternity leave this counts as 'returning to work' and can be deducted off any time that you do have to go back for.

If you want to keep your options open why not apply for a career break to start following your mat leave, this is unpaid but it does mean that should you change your mind about returning you will have a job (though they are not obliged to give you the same job back), a career break can be anything from 6 months to 5 years.

 

[siany]

I also think it is down to the contract you have. You dont pay back any SMP. My company pay 18 weeks full pay and it is written in my contract that if I dont return for a minimum of three months then I have to pay this back (minus any spm). My contract does not state that i have to go back full time. So in theory I could go back part time for three months and then leave.