When is the soonest you can take may leave?

[Madamecastafiore]

Not sure I can cope with work anymore. Am only 18 weeks but I am either going to end up chewing off my own arm or killing someone.

No seriously am a bit concerned about amount of stress I am under and how it is affecting my mental health and so that of my unborn baby!

[SorryMyLollipop]

See your GP, they can sign you off for a few weeks. Ask them to put it as pregnancy related on the sick note and then it doesn't count as absenteeism etc.

[MortifiedAdams]

Agree. Sick note for something pregnancy related. When you get back, ask for an appointment to discuss a Risk Assesment. Stress is a risk in pregnancy so they will need to do.something to ease the stress during your time there.

I beleive you can start you ML official at elevn weeks before youe Edd.

[BoundandRebound]

1st May (helpful)

[NotAQueef]

Being signed off aside, the earliest you can take maternity leave is from 29 weeks

[Madamecastafiore]

Thanks guys. Can stress be pregnancy related though? Mind you it doesn't really matter if it is or not I won't get sick pay, only SSP and after today I have no intention of going back.

Just got to work out when 29 weeks is.

I presume also that my mat leave won't take into account if I have been off - what I mean is if I am just being paid SSP will I have my maternity pay based on the SSP or my usual pay?

[BriansBrain]

You can use this to calculate your leave date.

[Madamecastafiore]

Excellent 31st August.

[MortifiedAdams]

Your Mat Pay is based on what you earnt in the 15th week before your edd. So best to be at work that week

[Madamecastafiore]

Oh right - will work that one out, thank you.

[Madamecastafiore]

Think the lady who is making my life hellish is on holiday then so won't be too bad.

[flowery]

"Your Mat Pay is based on what you earnt in the 15th week before your edd. So best to be at work that week"

Mortified I'm guessing/hoping you know the details of the enhanced maternity pay the OP will be getting and know that's how it's calculated?

For the avoidance of doubt, and for the benefit of anyone reading who may assume you were referring to statutory maternity pay, SMP is calculated on the basis of average weekly pay between weeks 17 and 25 of pregnancy.

Sorry but I'm always aware that right or wrong, people do make decisions based on these threads, and although there is a disclaimer at the top, people may not read it.

[BriansBrain]

Good luck with it all.

Stress during pregnancy isn't a good thing so you could be signed off with "stress whilst pregnant" rather than "stress caused by pregnancy"

Have you had a risk assessment at work? Stress in the work place needs to be addressed to see if there is any way of easing it.

[Madamecastafiore]

Thanks flowery - I am on holiday for part of that period and one of the other ladies is on holiday after me so I won't have to even see her.

I am going to ask that I be moved so I don't have to work in the atmosphere I am in present.

I did have a risk assessment as work in a place with some pretty risky people but that didn't take into account the bloody staff! My manager todl me she didn;t have time to deal with me today so I did my own risk assessment and told her I was coming home until she did. Not sure if this is right or wrong but when you are faced with a sobbing pregnant woman saying she feels bullied to tell her you do not have time for her is not really appropriate!