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Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

The staffroom

Not going back after mat leave

20 replies

5dogsgoswimming · 14/01/2015 08:40

I'm 5 months into mat leave and dh is applying for a job 100 miles away which will start in sept, if he gets it.

I'll cut to the chase, has anyone not gone back after mat leave and did you have to pay back any maternity pay?

OP posts:

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cosmicglittergirl · 14/01/2015 08:46

I didn't go back and had to pay mat leave back. Was about £3300. I got to keep statutory. My head teacher wasn't bothered, but when they informed the borough they sent a letter asking for it back.

ab444 · 14/01/2015 17:43

do you have to pay back if you dont go back?! even if you give correct notice? (I'm new to all this...just snooping around) useful to know

thatsn0tmyname · 14/01/2015 17:46

My friend did her 12 (?) weeks on her return to avoid paying the money back, then left. I think you will need to pay it back unless you ticked the box on your maternity intention form saying you wouldn't return. I think you avoid paying if you get a job in a school in the same county.

rollonthesummer · 14/01/2015 17:48

Yep-you'll have to pay it back if you've already had the money. Most people I knew went back for a term so they didn't have to pay it back!

noblegiraffe · 14/01/2015 18:55

You have to pay back the 50% over SMP bit, not the whole lot.

dementedpixie · 14/01/2015 18:57

You only pay back money if you got more than statutory maternity pay. If you only got SMP it doesn't need to be paid back if you leave

cosmicglittergirl · 14/01/2015 19:26

If I had gone back for 13 weeks/a term I could've kept it. You can decide in advance that you only want stat so there's nothing to pay back. I just wasn't sure what I was going to do so had taken it.

cosmicglittergirl · 14/01/2015 19:28

And yes a job in the same borough in a different school (I'm in London so I assume it's the same for county) will qualify you.

superram · 14/01/2015 19:28

You have to do 13 but 6of those can be holidays so you could go back for last half of summer term and keep the money.

nottheOP · 14/01/2015 19:31

My sil didn't have to repay hers. You may get lucky!

PotteringAlong · 14/01/2015 19:34

I know 2 people who haven't gone back and both had to repay.

Go back at May half term and that plus the summer holidays will be your 13 weeks and just resign go leave 31st august.

5dogsgoswimming · 14/01/2015 19:41

Yes I was planning to do lAst week in July if I did stay.

But I could go back early if dh gets the job.

Another complication there is that you have to give 8 weeks notice if you plan to go back early

OP posts:

geebie · 18/01/2015 19:53

I only got SMP, didn't go back, and didn't have to pay anything back.

Cataline · 18/01/2015 19:57

I didn't pay mine back. I let them know I had a new job and that if they wanted me to pay the money back, I'd return for the required amount of time instead. I think they realised that would be a total pain in the arse as they knew they were going to offer my job to the maternity cover anyway so they just let me go!

Laffytaffyx · 18/01/2015 22:15

Quick question: the 13 weeks is that at full time rate? What if you change your hours to part time would that mean the part time equivalent of 13 weeks?

dogtanianandthe3muskehounds · 18/01/2015 22:18

As I understand, you are required to repay the non-statutory part of your maternity pay if you don't return to your job for at least 13 weeks, on the terms of your original contract (I understand this is done on a pro-rata basis if you return part time, eg if you returned at 0.5 of your previous contract, then you would be required to work for 26 instead of 13 weeks). Would it be possible for you to go back to work a bit earlier? If you put your return date down as the first date of the May half-term holiday and worked the final half-term and then resigned from the end of August this would easily cover your 13 weeks.

roundtable · 18/01/2015 22:20

Yes it would laffy.

Also, including holidays is at a head's discretion. They can get you to work 13 working weeks I was told.

My head was lovely thankfully and I did as a poster suggested upthread and included the 6 weeks holidays and the half term holiday.

sofia31 · 21/01/2015 22:27

I left in October after mat leave. Am still waiting for a letter telling me what I owe! Any ideas when I could expect to hear?

LittleMachine · 21/01/2015 23:11

Sofia, me too. I haven't heard anything so I'm hoping they forgot I exist! If I have to pay it back, it's worth every penny to not have to go back to that job.

mrsgirond · 23/01/2015 10:55

I had to pay back 3400. A nice letter and bill from the LA!

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