Telling your employer!

[LaurenMM]

Hi girls,

Just wondering if anyone could help with this (btw this is kinda long winded so sorry for any confusion)

Basically I haven't been with my current employer long enough to claim SMP so I've just gotta claim ordinary maternity allowance. My employer sent me an SMP application form which I did not send back (sorry if this is just me being thick but I didnt realise I had to send it back if I wasnt entitled to SMP) but I did send them a hand written letter letting them know when I wanted to start maternity leave (this was well before the 15-week cut off time). Well, they're saying that I still need to send this application form in (along with my MATB1) and they'll send me SMP1 back to confirm they cant pay me SMP. They're also saying they haven't received my letter stating when I want to start maternity leave so by the time they get this application it'll be about 10 weeks before I'm due to give birth and I'm starting maternity leave 19th Sept. Can they try and stop me from leaving or anything like that? Because according to them I won't have told them of my pregnancy until ten weeks before my due date if that makes sense?!?!?!


Any help would be appreciated if you can make sense of my ramble lol
xxxx

 

[l_maclean]

hey - didnt want to just read and run, but cant really offer much advice im afraid. Maybe you should contact somewhere like citizens advice for help.

xxx

 

[Mrs N]

Go to citizens advice but I think the worst they can do is not pay maternity which your not going to get in anycase so I wouldnt stress too much hun!!
xxx

 

[suzzi]

i think their being awfully mean x i know there are rules about telling them but if you insist you have and the letter is lost they should allow for that, years ago i used to work out the smp for employees and your work paid you smp as they claim it back from the governmaentand they get a percentage on top for doing so . dont know if this has changed.

id phone one of the numbers in your bounty pack booklet about work etc.

good luck hun xx