Maternity leave after maternity leave

[babyfloof]

Does anyone know what happens if you get pregnant while on maternity leave?

Say for instance you are 12 weeks pregnant when you go back, are you entitled to maternity pay still. I know that basically to get maternity leave pay you have to have been employed with the company around about the time you conceived.

My maternity leave is quite generous with full pay for 6 months and I know no one can say without reading my contract but if I went back after maternity leave would it be common to still be entitled to that full 6 months full pay.

DH and I planned on one child so waited until a bit later in life, but now I've had one I really want to give her a sibling so want to start trying as soon as we can but I want to be aware of our finances before we do.

My work are pretty good so I don't think they would be annoyed with me coming back and announcing a second pregnancy (assuming we are lucky a second time round - and actually I think they are sort of expecting it) and I'm aware I could be taking the piss but a second pregnancy is going to happen whether it's now or in a years time (again, assuming we are lucky again) and I've been with them for years and have no plans to leave besides maternity leave..

You’re still employed whilst you’re on mat leave, so entitlement shouldn’t be an issue. How your full pay is calculated might be.

I did this and it comes down to whether you received SMP or enhanced maternity pay during your qualifying period (weeks 17-25). If you do, then you are entitled to the pay but if those weeks were during an unpaid time of your leave then you will have to apply for MA instead. You are entitled to a full extra year off regardless.

Ah yes that's another thing to consider. So do you think it would be calculated on maternity pay rather than full pay which is less than a quarter of my full pay.

@PolarBearDisguisedAsAPenguin so if I went back 12 weeks pregnant then earned full pay between 17-25 weeks My Mat pay would be based on full pay rather than statutory.

I feel so fucking cheeky thinking of this but I'm not getting younger so need to consider it even if I am being a CF

I went back when I was around 4weeks pregnant. Same rules apply as they do normally. Although my workplace doesn't offer enhanced maternity packages. So I'd maybe double check your contract incase there's some small print about subsequent pregnancy/entitlement to higher mat pay. My boss was fine tho, we'd actually told him that we planned two close together so he knew it was likely.

Also, sorry to clarify but it's the pay I'm concerned about rather than the amount of leave I get as I know my work would give me a full year even if I take it as unpaid/sabbatical

I went back after a year's maternity leave already 5 months pregnant with DC2. We wanted two close together, but weren't expecting them to be quite that close! I was entitled to exactly the same maternity leave provisions as the first time, and took another year off.

@Dippitydoodle I checked the small print and it's quite basic. I don't want to ask incase it doesn't happen for us. I've been in contact with my work professionally and socially since Mat leave and my boss commented about how much I'm enjoying my mat leave I think he's surprised I'm even going back so another pregnancy isn't going to be a shock (and actually my bosses all said how it's good to have babies close in age). I'm really lucky with my work.

@DramaAlpaca that's interesting to know. Did you have enchanted pay?

I actually can't remember, it was a long time ago & things might have changed. I know that both times I got six months paid, but only the first six weeks of that were on full pay. The second six months were unpaid. I'm probably not being as helpful as I was trying to be, sorry!

Nobody can know what your company’s policy is.

@MoreSlidingDoors I did say that in my original post but looking for peoples experience. Thanks for your comment though

@DramaAlpaca 😂 any experience is helpful! Thank you

In my case I went back to work 7 months pregnant and worked for 7 weeks before taking another year of mat leave. In my case the company treated me just the same each time. 6 months full pay.

However, I wasn’t entitled to SMP second time round because I hadn’t earned enough in the qualifying period. I was eligible for maternity allowance instead of SMP at the same rate - which I had to claim from dwp directly. For some reason this was tax free, so I ended up better off the second year.

Thank you @eternalfun this is what I was thinking might happen.

In my company, you'd be entitled to the full enhanced maternity pay as long as you return full time (or if you return part time, then it would be enhanced pay at the part time rate you'd be earning).

Just remembered why I was better off the second year. It wasn’t the tax.

It’s because I was on full pay for 6 months but got the Maternity Allowance in addition.

Whereas in the first year SMP was paid by my employer as part of my pay, so when you are on full pay they just top up SMP to your normal pay.

Maternity allowance you claim in a lump sum from dwp, so I got about three grand in one go. £126 x 36 weeks.

I triple checked with dwp as I didn’t then want to have to give it back at some point but that’s how it worked. This was about 6 years ago.

My employer also pays 6 months full pay. I've known someone that came bk 6 months pregnant and got the full pay again. I don't think they do qualifying periods etc just as long as you are employed and come back for a bit.

Some places say you have to have returned from mat leave for one year before being entitled to another enhanced mat leave package.

Good luck

I worked for a university and had 2 babies in the course of 1 maternity leave (my sons are 360 days apart). I then had another mat leave for the second child so ended up having 2 years off without returning in between. I think they had to do something payroll-wise to cover it - put me back on the payroll and some of the days were classed as annual leave or something like that.

Maternity allowance you claim in a lump sum from dwp, so I got about three grand in one go. £126 x 36 weeks.

Maternity allowance is paid for 39 weeks, as is SMP. It’s about £140 a week now.

I've no idea about entitlements OP, but I wouldn't feel too guilty. In a way it's less disruptive - if you tell them as soon as you go back, they can keep the arrangements in place that they have now as you'll only be back a few months before going off again.

I'm hoping for a two year age gap, which is much more common - but surely much more hassle for my employer.

I got the full enhanced maternity pay for two consecutive years. My company’s policy is that I need to qualify for SMP to get the enhanced pay so it didn’t matter that I only got SMP during my qualifying period because that amount was greater than the amount I needed to receive in order to qualify for further SMP and, therefore, enhanced pay.

We have to be back 12 months by the time we’re 25 weeks pregnant to qualify for the enhanced mat package (6m full pay).

I managed it by 11 days based on LMP, 3 days by actual birth date!

@Shelley54 did it say that in your contract? I've read mine but can't remember if it says specifically about that. I don't want to outright ask my employer either because that would be a bit strange if I'm not already pregnant.