Maternity leave and childcare vouchers

[kwaker5]

I remember that vouchers affect your maternity pay if they aren't stopped a certain amount of time before ML starts. Does anyone know when?

[MaryBS]

Your maternity is calculated on any money earned in the 8 weeks before the 15 weeks before your due date. The week which is 15 weeks before the baby is born is known as the "qualifying week".

You can use this table to work out the qualifying week, then any money earned in 8 weeks before that is what's used to calculate maternity.

[kwaker5]

Thanks MBS. Do you know whether I will be able to revert to getting vouchers once those 8 weeks are up until I go on ML?

[LackaDAISYcal]

There has been a new law intorduced which says that you can keep getting your vouchers regardless of being on ML as they are a contractual benefit (ie they are paid in to you over and above SMP, but I think you need to keep them going the whole time). there is a lot of confusion about it as it's only relevant for babies due after October this year and employers aren't too clued up on how it works. A few of the women on my Nov AN thread have had lots of discussions about it and I'm sure there is a thread on here started by one of them.

I'll point someone in your direction and also see if I can find a link

anyway jist of that was it might be worth keeping them going and losing a little of your six weeks SMP if it means you keep the full CV amount going into your account. worht far more in the long term I would imagine.

[LackaDAISYcal]

Link to thread

[kwaker5]

Oh dear, my HR 'woman' (company so small, we don't have a department) is worse than useless. Even if I asked now I doubt I'd get a straight answer before the baby arrived!

[ceebee74]

Kwaker - Lacksadaisycal has pointed me in this direction (I am on her AN thread).

Does the other thread make it clear or do you need any more information about your entitlements? I don't think many HR departments are up to speed about this yet as it is a very recent development BUT you are entitled to this so you need to raise it with them.

Anyway, if you need anything else, just let me know