:(

[ScarlettB18]

Hi everyone,

I just told my sister in law that I was pregnant and we got talking about work.. she said I should try to hide it from my work because you need to have worked there for 6 months otherwise you won't get maternity leave pay?! money is going to be tight when the baby comes and the extra money is important! I'm 2 and a half months preg now and I only started at this job 2 months ago!! how can I hide a baby bump? I'll be 6 months pregnant trying to hide it in the summer time so big jumpers will be a bit less of an option? has anyone else had this problem or does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do?

Thanks x

[penisbeakerlaminateflooringetc]

That's not how it works. You need to have worked for your employer for 26 weeks when you have 15 weeks left to your planned due date.

Which basically means you need to have not already been pregnant when you started working for them.

www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/eligibility

[JE678]

Your SIL is wrong, hiding it won't make a difference as your qualifying week is worked out from your EDD. Would you qualify for Maternity Allowance if not SMP?

[tribpot]

Well, congratulations on your pregnancy but no need to wear jumpers at work - when you are ready you will inform them of your pregnancy and they will need a form from your midwife to confirm it, which will have your estimated due date on. You can't pretend you got pregnant a month after you did or anything like that.

I think you won't qualify for maternity pay from your employer but you will get Maternity Allowance.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Actually it protects you to tell them asap.

At least then they won't have got rid of you for being pregnant and claiming they didn't know you were - like a friend of mine.

[JennyOnAPlate]

You won't be able to hide how pregnant you are...the form you have to give work from your midwife will show them that you were already pregnant on starting your job.

You might be eligible for maternity allowance of you meet the conditions (I can't remember what they are as its been 8 years since I received it)

Congratulations on your pregnancy and I hope you manage to find a solution

[MustStopAndThinkBeforePosting]

Like pp have said, hiding it won't change whether you get maternity pay. If you weren't already in your new job on the first day of your last period, you will miss out on the 6 weeks at 90% of pat but you will still get the same amount of time off, and the maternity allowance benefit you will be entitled to is only very slightly different from SMP by a matter of pence so it will be OK.

One thing to worry about though is whether you have a probation period - if you do then you should keep the pregnancy quiet till that is over.

[LIZS]

Does she perhaps mean occupational maternity pay as opposed to SMP? The latter is paid assuming you became pg after you started and hit the earnings threshold, the former tops this up but there may be other eligibility criteria such as having worked for a specific period in that role or returning to work afterwards for a minimum time. Both would be based on your official expected due date (EDD) certified by your midwife on your MATB1 form so hiding it won't achieve anything in this regard. If you don't qualify for SMP you might for Maternity Allowance which is paid by DWP rather than via your employer.

[LIZS]

Does she perhaps mean occupational maternity pay as opposed to SMP? The latter is paid assuming you became pg after you started and hit the earnings threshold, the former tops this up but there may be other eligibility criteria such as having worked for a specific period in that role or returning to work afterwards for a minimum time. Both would be based on your official expected due date (EDD) certified by your midwife on your MATB1 form so hiding it won't achieve anything in this regard. If you don't qualify for SMP you might for Maternity Allowance which is paid by DWP rather than via your employer.

[tribpot]

Talking about being six months pregnant in the summertime makes me think you're not in the UK - are you in Aus?

[scarlets]

If you suspect that they won't be completely fair with you, it's best to tell them before they guess, as a pp said. You'll be better protected then.

[ScarlettB18]

Hey everyone,

thank you all for the advice! I'm going to tell my work after my first scan I think as like most of you said the sooner they know the better , and I will check to see if I am eligible for maternity allowance.

Thanks