Wish me luck...

[Tasha89]

A few of you might remember all the trouble i've had with work...

Basically I had 10 weeks signed off work after an op I had in Dec to remove a cyst. The fact that I had 10 weeks off has bumped me up the attendance procedure so i've had a meeting about it where I had the chance to get my point across to the dept manager and HR manager as to why they should keep me on basically.

I'm just about's to leave home for the outcome of this meeting. I'm absolutely crapping it! They shouldn't fire me but a lot of disagreements have gone on between me and my manager and dept manager so I know they'll be doing all they can to get rid of me. The union rep is coming with me so hopefully he'll kick some ass

I have no intention of going back to that company after mat leave but I don't want to lose out on my maternity pay - I've already had to take it asap (26th May) as I cant hack it there anymore. Plus my doc's just signed me off for stress until it starts.

Keep your fingers crossed for me girls eh?! I'll let you know how I get on later. Xxx

 

[serenitylove]

good luck hope it all works out for you

 

[Sam's Mum]

Good luck Hope it goes well for you x

 

[NicciLove]

I always thought if you were signed off there was pretty much nothing anyone could do about it, shows how little i know!! All that unnecessary stress just to get out of paying you maternity leave, what a bunch of . . . .

Hope it all works out for you x

 

[Yodabo]

Good luck Hun!

 

[Tasha89]

Hey - Well i've just got home with 4 weeks paid notice...fooking fantastic!!

Like I said, doc has signed me off with work related stress up until my mat leave starts on 26th May and my last day of notice will be on 28th May...just need to find out now whether they can stop my mat leave payments...I bloody hope not or we're screwed! Don't think we'll be able to afford the mortgage and no one's going to employ a 26wk pregnant woman are they?

I'm not upset at being fired, more that we might lose my maternity payments...

 

[midnight]

i didnt think they could fire you if you was pregnant?!?! if you can get work maternity you might be able to get smp from the government i will have a look and see what i can find for you x

 

[midnight]

just had a look dont think you will get smp unless your employer is going to do this should of asked them really but you might be able to get maternity allowance depending on how long you worked and how far along you are just type in maternity pay into your search engine and click on the link hth and good luck
if you are not entitiled you might be able to get benifits even if your partner works for so many weeks has you have contibuted to national insurance also if you cant claim anything and your oh is on a low income look into housing benifit and council tax benifit they will only pay the interest on a mortgage and not any capital, other things to claim if your eligable
£500 grant at 29 weeks
i think there is also a healthy pregnancy grant of £150 too not too sure on this
working tax/child tax credits
child benifits when you baby is born

 

[Rowesb]

 

[Tasha89]

They should pay me SMP of 6 weeks full pay and 33 weeks at £124.88 as i've been at company for over 26 weeks and have been employed into 15th week before baby is due.

If they refuse to pay it (which in theory they cant), i'll get a max of 39 weeks paid at a max of £124.88

Only thing i'm gutted about is that i was entitled to our employers enhanced maternity scheme of an extra 10 weeks full pay... Really hope they still pay me this

 

[rakrak]

bloody hell, sounds like you're having a right stressful time...
hope you get everything sorted hun xxx

 

[titch]

hun, if you can argue your current sickness of 'stress' is pregnancy related (i.e. if you werent pregnant you wouldnt need to be off) firing you for this would be considered gender discrimination and there is no upper limit to compensation for this if you take it to employment tribunal.

The sickness procedure is there for people who have lots of sick leave for 'colds' or basically the odd duvet day too frequently. You have provided evidence for both your periods of absence. I think you could argue at tribunal that you have been discriminated against because of your pregnancy.

It really is worth looking into. See if you can make an appointment at CAB. This way if they dont pay you mat pay at least you'dhave a lump sum to get you through the first year and then you could look for another job if you wanted to go back to work.

 

[isobel84]

ohh i really hope it get sorted out for you! xxx

 

[mummynmummy2b]

Hey hun, Just seen this I completely agree with Tiny. The first step I would take would be to write them a letter explaining that you are concerned about the legal implications of what they are doing and you are preparing to seek advice. I would use all the things tiny has said such as youve provided evidence for your sick leave and have been signed off with a docs note etc. just get everything down on paper and tell them that unless they come back to you with a more suitable solution you are going to seek legal advice. As tiny says this is gender discrimination and i think you easily have the evidence to prove it to a tribunal. Basically if you threaten legal action they will panic and offer you a settlement for you to keep quiet. Someone i used to work with did that and he got 6 months pay as a settlement. Gender discrimination is a BIG deal at the moment and a tribunal would award you a right packet. I used to be a HR manager so if you want any help just PM me xxx

 

[Tasha89]

The result of the meeting was for the periods of sickness because of my op - one lasting 3 days, 1 month prior to op, and 10 weeks recovery after op.
They started going on about when i used to suffer really bad with migraine last year (luckily I can control them on different meds a lot better now) however i've had NO time off since last Feb for migraine.
They're an absolute joke! There's no way I can get them done for gender discrimination, it's their fault i'm off on stress now but it's not preg related.

Found out last night from a colleague I work(ed) with that they recruited a lass full time two weeks ago to replace me...the result of the meeting (i.e. firing me) was meant to have been decided when the managers adjourned for 10 mins yesterday...! So why has someone been given my desk two weeks ago...? Tossers!

 

[serenitylove]

The result of the meeting was for the periods of sickness because of my op - one lasting 3 days, 1 month prior to op, and 10 weeks recovery after op.
They started going on about when i used to suffer really bad with migraine last year (luckily I can control them on different meds a lot better now) however i've had NO time off since last Feb for migraine.
They're an absolute joke! There's no way I can get them done for gender discrimination, it's their fault i'm off on stress now but it's not preg related.

Found out last night from a colleague I work(ed) with that they recruited a lass full time two weeks ago to replace me...the result of the meeting (i.e. firing me) was meant to have been decided when the managers adjourned for 10 mins yesterday...! So why has someone been given my desk two weeks ago...? Tossers!

i dont know about the maternity pay side of things but if you have been off and wouldnt have been going back as signed off till maternity leave it not surprising they have got someone in to cover hun as the job still had to be done hope u get things sorted out tho

 

[Tasha89]

i dont know about the maternity pay side of things but if you have been off and wouldnt have been going back as signed off till maternity leave it not surprising they have got someone in to cover hun as the job still had to be done hope u get things sorted out tho

Sorry, I mean they've recruited someone permanent to replace me 2 weeks before the supposedly decided they were firing me. They normally recruit people on a 12 month temp contract. My mate who's 3 weeks ahead of me at work is getting a temp to cover her job.

Basically they've decided weeks ago, before I could even present my case, that they were firing me.

 

[serenitylove]

i dont know about the maternity pay side of things but if you have been off and wouldnt have been going back as signed off till maternity leave it not surprising they have got someone in to cover hun as the job still had to be done hope u get things sorted out tho

Sorry, I mean they've recruited someone permanent to replace me 2 weeks before the supposedly decided they were firing me. They normally recruit people on a 12 month temp contract. My mate who's 3 weeks ahead of me at work is getting a temp to cover her job.

Basically they've decided weeks ago, before I could even present my case, that they were firing me.

oh i get it now lol well def sounds like you need some good advice from cab or something simular

 

[titch]

theyre still treading very dodgy ground firing someone when theyre pregnant. It would be worth getting some advice about it, like you say, you need money coming in from somewhere. Good luck xxx

 

[Tasha89]

Just received my letter of dismissal - hand delivered by a guy in our office - nice touch!

I have been dismissed on 'capability and some other substantial reason' - capability, my arse! Spoke to the union rep this morning and he's already drafting our appeal letter.

I'm only getting the 6 weeks SMP which will be paid in one lump sum, so they say. Robbing gits! I was entitled to the full 16 weeks before they fired me! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Proper pissed off!

I know we're appealing and we'll probably win, but I really don't want to have to go through the agro of tribunals, etc whilst heavily pregnant!