Question for teachers about maternity pay.

[Wiggy29]

I've been teaching for a good few years but have just left an academy after 3. How long would you have to work for the new school (and new local authority) before you get maternity pay?

Thanks in advance.x

[1Catherine1]

Copied from Maternity matters Document from the NUT

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CATEGORY 1

Teachers with at least 26 weeks' continuous employment with their current employer and at least 1 year's continuous employment with one or more local authorities.

Teachers who have by the qualifying date completed at least 1 year?s continuous employment with one or more local authorities will benefit from the full entitlements under the Burgundy Book scheme. If they have completed at least 26 weeks? continuous employment with their current employer, they will also be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay.

Eligible teachers will be entitled to the following benefits.

Ordinary maternity leave of up to 26 weeks which will be paid leave as follows:

first 4 weeks of absence: full pay inclusive of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP);
next 2 weeks: 90 per cent of a week?s salary inclusive of SMP;
next 12 weeks: half pay plus £128.73 SMP (not exceeding full pay);
next 8 weeks: £128.73 SMP.

Additional maternity leave of up to a further 26 weeks, 13 of which will be paid at the SMP rate of £128.73 per week, with the remaining 13 weeks unpaid.

Such teachers can now remain absent for a total period of up to 52 weeks.
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So, in short 1 year to qualify for everything :) HTH

[vickibee]

very generous, how come public sector workers get everthing so good and then complain about it. most people just get the stat minimum

[1Catherine1]

I agree that teachers get a generous maternity package and long holidays but it isn't all good. For instance teachers cannot use their holidays to extend their maternity leave as there are set times for holidays. This worked out ok for me as my return date is 3 days before the start of the summer holidays but if you due date is the end of July it doesn't work out too well as you are on ML during the summer holidays and the 18 weeks runs out mid term.

But... as I say to everyone who tells me we have a sweet deal - there is a teacher shortage, why don't you do it?

[twinklypearls]

I think you mean some public sector workers vickibee.

If I were a parent I would want to have terms that would attract the best graduates.

[vickibee]

i did it for 9 years science/physics teacher at 2ndry school. Left cos i didn't like all the bad behaviour and couldn't actually teach my subject most days. senior staff were so unsupportive and hid in their offices pushing paper around

[twinklypearls]

So vicki you were a public sector worker who didn't get everything so good.

[1Catherine1]

what twinkypearls said...

[vickibee]

was never sick or pregnant so didn't really get anything as such, i do have a pension from my time there but that was not a motivating factor in doing the job. I just think that PS workers need to align themselves with their private sector counterparts and realise when they are well off