Thinking about doing some unpaid work during Maternity Leave ... should I?

[morningpaper]

I work self-employed and I have one project that I would like to continue to work on during my maternity leave, (about 2 hours a week) but obviously I can't be paid for it.

I am expecting baby no. 2.

If I don't do the work unpaid, the client will go to another company and I won't have the work (paid) AFTER maternity leave.

What should I do?

[jampots]

do it as a favour

[sweetheart]

Personally I would do the work and arrange for payment to be made after maternity leave. I know it's wrong but I'm sure lots of other people do it!!!

[nailpolish]

can you ask for a deferred payment? (is that what its called?)

[morningpaper]

While claiming Maternity Allowance you can't do any work for which you have been paid or are expecting to be paid - otherwise you have to paid back your MA!

So unfortunately deferred payment isn't an option!

[nailpolish]

i would still do it if you feel up to it, may be worth it in th e long run, as you say

[jampots]

then dont be paid for it whilst doing it on ML but increase your rate after you return to work (temporarily)

[morningpaper]

Do you reckon that I WILL feel up to it, with two children?

Or will it be too much of a committment?

With my daughter I was DESPERATE to do something 'intellectual' but I'm wondering whether with two I'll just be desperate for sleep.

[Nemo1977]

what about being able to take the time back when you return???? I had to go on a few training days for work after having ds and was able to take the time back when I returned to work.

[Nemo1977]

meant to say dont know how that would work out being self employed??????

[morningpaper]

Good idea but don't get any holiday or time off being self-employed, unfortunately!

[aloha]

If you are paid after your maternity leave for the work the MA people will never know that you did it during your leave. Just don't invoice until you are back at work properly. Yes, I know it's a bit sneaky but MA is such a pitiful amount and I think it is so unfair that the self-employed get so much less than employed people. The alternative is to ask if you can do it 'unpaid' but add enough to subsequent projects to pay you for it, iyswim.
How much work is it? Will you have someone to take your kids for long enough for you to do it? How soon after the birth will you be expected to do it? It can be very stressful, I have to say.

[morningpaper]

I'd probably have to start within a week of baby being born. It would be up to 2 hours a week. DH would take the children - I can do it at any time.

Really don't want to lose the client.

[aloha]

A week (or three!) might be very hard. Could you do any of it in advance? I think if you do this, you could swing the payment thing.

[jampots]

crikey you should be able to find 2 hours a week. Just invite your parents/his parents/ etc and they'll spend longer than that just cooing over baby.

[aloha]

Is it really, really just two hours though?

[morningpaper]

It really WILL have to be unpaid because my business is v. small and I REALLY couldn't afford to pay back any maternity leave - it's a big client so everything is above-board.

It really won't be any longer than 2 hours a week ...

[aloha]

Look, I work for huge corporations, and found them very helpful...nudge nudge... honestly.

What about my idea of temporarily raising your rate after maternity leave to cover the money you didn't get paid during maternity leave? You can only ask.

[jampots]

aloha - i had that sneaky idea first

[aloha]

Sorry Jampots! You are officially sneakier than me

[Jacksnaith1994]

Isn't maternity leave time for bonding. Enjoy it while you can I say!

[flowery]

”Isn't maternity leave time for bonding. Enjoy it while you can I say!”

@Jacksnaith1994 OP’s baby is now a teenager. I suspect her maternity leave might be over now...

[BellaLand]

that is your choice ... but I feel that once you get onto the voluntary trap, it is not good for the world at large, we are not communists, that work for free. everyone should be paid for work. fair enough during school etc and if you are rich and bored, but I do not agree with the whole voluntary movement.... it is a scam, as someone else is getting paid and it is a means for a company to save money , on a spiritual level... money is energy, when you do something for free, you are giving something to someone who is in fact taking it from you, that energy .... this is not good at all.... this is why there are so many people in poverty... unless you are moving into a whole new field that you have no past relevance experience for, sure go ahead one time... but be careful of falling into that trap.

[BellaLand]

I personallly, would let them go to the other company. it is about self worth and self value. you are sounding desperate and that is not good and you need to trust that something better will come along and focus on that.
Let it go... screw them!

[BellaLand]

if it is a big client they should be paying, this is outrageous ! so what if if they are big.. find a smaller one that will pay then or someone else,

[ChessieFL]

Zombie Thread!!!!!