Thinking of increasing working hours for more maternity pay

[pamelat]

What do you think, morally too?

I returned to work 4 months a go after 13 months maternity leave. DD is 17 months and we want to try for another baby.

I was full time but now work 3 days a week.

I was thinking of applying to do 4 days a week for the following reasons

1. When get pregnant I will get maternity pay at 4 days salary rather than 3 (full pay for 6 months so makes a big difference)
   
   
2. when I have the baby I could almost afford 4 days of childcare for my todder rather than 3 for first few months (because of 1.)
   
   
3. when I go on maternity leave just before baby born I will have 4 days a week at home with DD in nursery for few weeks, to sleep
   
   Downsides ......
   
   
4. I will have to actually work 4 days a week for almost a year if I apply now, assuming I am pregnant within 2 months or so (which obviously may not happen) so could be even longer.
   
   
5. DD will have to go to nursery for 4 days and not sure that she is ready for that.She is very over tired even afer 3 days. And I miss her after 3 days.
   
   Anyone else do 4 days?
   
   What do you think I should do. We don't desperately need the money for that 4th day but are thinking about moving house, in which case we might do.
   
   Or am I allowed to wait until I am pregnant and then request 4 days?

[pamelat]

and do you think that 4 months back at work is long enough to then try again?

I would probably only take 9 months off next time.

[2cats2many]

I went back to work already pregnant after having my 1st.

I went back 4 days a week at first, then a few months later switched to full time. I then used my annual leave to maintain a 4-day week by taking one day a week as holiday, but was on the books as full-time so my 2nd ML would be calculated on that basis. Luckily, I had sympathetic management who allowed me to do this.

I don't see why it should be a moral dilemma at all. Your maternity pay is a right and is part of the reason why you've paid so much tax and NI for your working life. Don;t feel like you have to apologise for having another baby and take as much ML as you need.

[mhmummy]

Pamelat

I did what you did (although I'd been back at work for 8 months when I got pregnant again).

I told them I was pregnant and halfway through the pregnancy I asked to go four days a week which like you was to increase the maternity pay during those six months. My workplace was very shortstaffed at that point and I presented it as an idea which would work for them and for me.

I worked four days for three or four months and it was actually fine because I took Wednesday as the day off, so I was never actually working more than two days at a time which was useful for resting...

[mhmummy]

Meant to say - no moral issue imo. No difference if you take the maternity leave now or in two years.