maternity pay

[uurrghhhhhh]

I am now 34 weeks. I have a yearly contract with my company working something like 3hrs a week but these are all condensed into working over the summer. I work over the 3hrs per week during that time.
I informed my boss i was pregnant just after my 12 week scan. I have not had any hours since mid September. I asked my boss just before i left about maternity pay and i also emailed her a week ago.
Each time i am told they will look into it. I am getting concerned that it is being left too late- especially if i have to claim the statutory pay.

Any advic?

[CathyNoodles]

Read up on Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance.... For my first child I was eligible for MA, for this second one, SMP.

To get SMP you need to have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks up to the 'qualifying week' (the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth). With MA, you are eligible as long as you have worked at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before the week your baby is due. They need not be consecutive weeks.

Hopefully you will get one or the other! Good luck

[uurrghhhhhh]

There it gets tricky. I was on a zero hour contract from 2013 until the start of summer this year- so technically employed but again only earning a wage up until sept 2013. There the contract swapped to this 3hrs a week over the year condensed into summer time.

[slightlyinsane]

Wow this sounds a bit messy. From what I remember your qualifying wk is around the 23rd of September, they then take the average of the next 8 wks pay to work out your smp. After a Google you need to have earned no less than £111 a wk to qualify for smp.
Going from what you have put in your post because you have not worked since mid Sept you won't qualify for smp but may qualify for maternity allowance. I think (you'll need to check up to date info) you need an smp1 form from your employer which tells you, you are not eligible for smp in order to claim maternity allowance.
MA is easy enough to claim you just need the forms, smp1 and your payslips.
You need to stamp your feet and throw a massive pregnancy strop at your employer, leaving it this late and not have sorted it out is absolutely shocking. There's a good chance they don't understand how it works, still not good enough. Good luck

[Rockchick1984]

The number of hours you're contracted to is a red herring - everything is calculated on actual hours worked. From what you've said you probably won't qualify for SMP.

MA is based on you having worked 26 weeks out of the 66 weeks prior to your due date, you will need payslips to evidence this. Money will be based on the average of the ones you send, so make sure you send the ones you've earned the most :)

[uurrghhhhhh]

I emailed him again stressing how little tome until the baby arrives and he emailed back that i am entitled and HR should have been in contact! He is going to chase them!

[uurrghhhhhh]

I emailed again and it seems i am entitled and she is going to chase it! Thank you

[CathyNoodles]

Remember you're legally entitled to this and they shouldn't make you wait til last minute! You were eligible to have already started receiving this by now if you'd chosen to! (I think you can start receiving it from 11 weeks before due date)

[uurrghhhhhh]

Really? I didnt know that! Humm... that would have been helpful!

[JennyBlueWren]

Is there any case for arguing discrimination over not getting hours after announcing pregnancy?