Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

How do I manage sickness and maternity?

104 replies

bernieaa · 26/07/2023 22:26

I started a new job and got pregnant straight away.

Not the ideal situation as baby father is ghosting me but I'm positive about the future.

However I've had morning sickness until week 21. I'm currently taking sick leave to help recover and now I've developed panic attacks.

The panic attacks are related to my job. I often can't manage a full day of work
And lay on the sofa or just go to the toilet to close my eyes.

My bloods are all ok and my pregnancy is going fine. It's just being pregnant is making me tired.

I'm thinking of going on maternity at 36 weeks, 37th week as holiday and baby hopefully will comes 40 weeks.

Do I still accrue holiday whilst on maternity and can i take this years now? Eg if I have 15 days holiday before April can I take them before I go on maternity? I need the rest.

What if I get pro rata holiday from April 2024 - October 2024 (so say 20 days) can I get this paid out and quit my job like I would do if I was quitting anyway?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Original poster
bernieaa · 27/07/2023 01:10

Oh no :( I won't have done because I'm on sick. Fuck

How do I manage sickness and maternity?
OP posts:
peachgreen · 27/07/2023 01:15

Yeah I think that’s what PPs were getting at. You may only qualify for maternity allowance now. Give ACAS a ring tomorrow, they’ll help you get it all straight.

peachgreen · 27/07/2023 01:20

And also remember that this will probably only impact the first 6 weeks of your SMP anyway – after that it’s £172 or 90% of your average earnings during the qualifying, whichever is LESS, so in your case likely to be the £172 anyway.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
VerityUnreasonble · 27/07/2023 01:27

bernieaa · 27/07/2023 01:10

Oh no :( I won't have done because I'm on sick. Fuck

So you might have done, it's an average over the 8 weeks. If you were on SSP (£109) for 2 weeks you need to have earned over about £145 the other 6 weeks of the qualifying period.

Original poster
bernieaa · 27/07/2023 01:30

@VerityUnreasonble sorru I don't know how to dm you :(

OP posts:
Original poster
bernieaa · 27/07/2023 01:32

@VerityUnreasonble are you sure it's an average? I get £2k a month in my bank account:

OP posts:
VerityUnreasonble · 27/07/2023 01:36

bernieaa · 27/07/2023 01:32

@VerityUnreasonble are you sure it's an average? I get £2k a month in my bank account:

Yes, it's an average, there is a good explanation here:

workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/calculating-maternity-pay/

And it says it on the .gov site too

www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/eligibility#:~:text=Statutory%20Maternity%20Pay%20(%20SMP%20),the%20expected%20week%20of%20childbirth

Original poster
bernieaa · 27/07/2023 01:42

Work out average weekly earnings
Average weekly earnings must include all earnings on which Class 1 National Insurance contributions are due, or would be due if they were high enough. Statutory Maternity Pay entitlement depends on your employee’s average weekly earnings in the ‘relevant period’. The average weekly earnings in the relevant period must not be less than the Lower Earnings Limit for National Insurance contributions which applies at the end of the qualifying week:
• Lower Earnings Limit for 2023 to 2024 is £123
Divide all earnings paid in that relevant period by the number of days, weeks or months in that period.

OP posts:
Original poster
bernieaa · 27/07/2023 01:54

Phew! I was crying my eyes out over it all :(

OP posts:
Original poster
bernieaa · 27/07/2023 02:03

Thank you so much everyone

OP posts:
LIZS · 27/07/2023 07:48

But because you were off sick your 90% smp won't be based on a full £500pw, but an average of whatever you actually earned over those 8 weeks. You need to tell your employer that you cannot work a full day even if you wfh. They have to make reasonable adjustments but doing so in hope noone notices will not end well.

OnceAgainWithFeeling · 27/07/2023 08:09

Sorry if I confused you, OP. The 90% for 6 weeks is what sets apart SMP and MA. It can make a massive difference. If your salary had been lower you could have found you didn’t qualify for the 90%. Glad you’ve worked out that you will, but agree with LIZS that you need to be talking to your manager about the difficulties you’re having and come up with a plan. You can’t just keep not working full days and expect them not to notice.

Original poster
bernieaa · 27/07/2023 09:47

OnceAgainWithFeeling · 27/07/2023 08:09

Sorry if I confused you, OP. The 90% for 6 weeks is what sets apart SMP and MA. It can make a massive difference. If your salary had been lower you could have found you didn’t qualify for the 90%. Glad you’ve worked out that you will, but agree with LIZS that you need to be talking to your manager about the difficulties you’re having and come up with a plan. You can’t just keep not working full days and expect them not to notice.

I work in the office as well. What can they really do?

OP posts:
OnceAgainWithFeeling · 27/07/2023 10:02

Reduce your contracted hours and pay to what you’re actually working.

Original poster
bernieaa · 27/07/2023 10:09

OnceAgainWithFeeling · 27/07/2023 10:02

Reduce your contracted hours and pay to what you’re actually working.

Hence why I said to take one day a week or as holiday....

OP posts:
DinnaeFashYersel · 27/07/2023 10:16

What happens if I don't go back to that job and accrued holidays?

If you leave before you have accrued the holidays they can ask you to repay that money.

You are best to leave resigning until the last possible date because you will continue to accrue annual leave. This will cover what you have already take and if you have a surplus you will receive a payment for them.

They should also continue to pay your pension contributions during mat leave.

Original poster
bernieaa · 27/07/2023 10:29

DinnaeFashYersel · 27/07/2023 10:16

What happens if I don't go back to that job and accrued holidays?

If you leave before you have accrued the holidays they can ask you to repay that money.

You are best to leave resigning until the last possible date because you will continue to accrue annual leave. This will cover what you have already take and if you have a surplus you will receive a payment for them.

They should also continue to pay your pension contributions during mat leave.

Thanks. That's what I plan to do.

OP posts:
OnceAgainWithFeeling · 27/07/2023 10:41

Do you have holiday to take? (It’s really hard to advise you when you give so little info.)

You can’t take leave you haven’t accrued.

StormShadow · 27/07/2023 10:46

You could go on mat leave any time from 29 weeks, take the full leave/ just the paid 39 weeks part and then all your accrued annual leave after if you want. Wouldn't involve them giving you an 'advance' on your annual leave iyswim.

OnceAgainWithFeeling · 27/07/2023 10:54

Knocks 2 months off her time with baby/employment though.

Original poster
bernieaa · 27/07/2023 11:30

StormShadow · 27/07/2023 10:46

You could go on mat leave any time from 29 weeks, take the full leave/ just the paid 39 weeks part and then all your accrued annual leave after if you want. Wouldn't involve them giving you an 'advance' on your annual leave iyswim.

I'm aiming for 36 weeks. I can't imagine not having anything to do for 11 weeks. That would be worse case scenario.

OP posts:
Original poster
bernieaa · 27/07/2023 11:31

OnceAgainWithFeeling · 27/07/2023 10:41

Do you have holiday to take? (It’s really hard to advise you when you give so little info.)

You can’t take leave you haven’t accrued.

Yes I'll have the whole entitlement for the year - minus a few days. So I might ask if I can take the majority now. I can't see them making me redundant before end of financial year.

OP posts:
mosiacmaker · 27/07/2023 11:56

Why don’t you just take annual leave in week 36 then go on mat leave week 37?

Original poster
bernieaa · 27/07/2023 12:02

mosiacmaker · 27/07/2023 11:56

Why don’t you just take annual leave in week 36 then go on mat leave week 37?

Because I went to work physically to week 36 and take 37 as holiday and week 37 the Friday is the official maternity.

However how things are panning out I will probably won't have any holiday.

OP posts:
OnceAgainWithFeeling · 27/07/2023 12:08

bernieaa · 27/07/2023 11:31

Yes I'll have the whole entitlement for the year - minus a few days. So I might ask if I can take the majority now. I can't see them making me redundant before end of financial year.

Show quote history

That would seem to be a good option.