Would I be able to negotiate about this with work?

[namechanged7]

DP and I decided to TTC next month (Feb).

I started my job a few weeks before Christmas.
Store policy states that any employee can take 26 weeks off work. It then states that any employee who has worked for 26 weeks on their 14th week of pregnancy is entitled to an extended 26 weeks.
If I was to conceive right away (which would be the hope), on my 14th week of pregnancy, I'd have worked for 24.5 consecutive weeks within the company.

Would I be able to negotiate with them about this with it being so close to the extended maternity leave? My plan wasn't to take 1 year anyway, my plan was to take 9 months, so would that be a viable compromise, or am I setting myself up for a loss?

It's such a petty reason but I didn't want to wait an extra month or two as December/January baby is a bit more pressure financially with Christmas, and then February/March is my current DS' birthday. (But yes, I know, I might not conceive first try and it could end up like this anyway!)

What does everyone think?

I think you’re being rather ridiculous, sorry! If you can’t manage your money for a December birthday or two birthdays close together you’re probably not in a financial position to have a baby. You have no real control over when you conceive. If it’s that important to you to avoid December or March, wait a year. I can’t see your company giving you extra leave or money you’re not entitled to, especially as such a new starter. Why would they? They’d have to do it for everyone.

What country are you in? You’re entitled to more than that in the uk anyway (I had statutory and went back when dd was eight/nine months old).

Do you have any annual leave to make the time longer?

Honestly, I’ve never heard of companies being flexible on their maternity policies in that way.

They won't negotiate. I'd wait until you have your entitlement.

Oh and I conceived at the end of feb and dd was born at the beginning of December. She was due the end of November but ended up being significantly overdue. She does not avoid the Christmas/birthday issues.

I would hold off ttc a couple of months if you’re that bothered by December/January birthdays.

Thought maternity leave was up to 52 weeks if you wanted it? Those timings might mean you don't qualify for maternity pay - don't think you'll be able to negotiate that

@Dreamingofkfc this company doesn't do maternity pay at all!

The simplest answer is wait u til March- then the leave is guaranteed. I seriously doubt they'd make an exception, and unless there is a medical need you have to start February- wait until March.

Are you in the UK?

@Dreamingofkfc IOM.

I very much doubt that they would negotiate.

I seriously doubt any company will pay more than they have to, particularly for an employee who’s only been there for 5 minutes. Just delay TTC by a month or so and problem solved.

@Jeezoh no pay.

OP - only the company can decide if they will negotiate. I'd be surprised if they did, but I don't know anything about them.

We need some clarity.

In the UK there is a right to Maternity Leave and to Maternity Pay - that's statutory and subject to some qualifying conditions.

Some companies offer extra pay too.

In discussion this it helps to define exactly which (pay/leave etc) is being talked about.

You would be bloody stupid not to wait 8 weeks for the sake of guaranteeing all that extra pay. I can’t see any good reason for potentially compromising yourself that much.

Re negotiating, I think it’s very unlikely they would allow it, unless they have done so before?

Just to confirm for everyone - they do not do maternity pay at all, they don't offer it in their policy!

Sorry, time not pay

OK - IOM rules are different. No statutory pay and 26 weeks leave.

Pay or no pay, I still very much doubt they’ll give you more than their policy says

Where are you? If it's Uk then they have to offer something!

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

Given the benefit I would wait a month, they very likely won’t negotiate, they have clear terms

Isle of Man rules -
www.gov.im/media/1351547/gui20160520-guide-to-maternity-rights.pdf

I think the 26 week cut-off point is there for a reason. If they move it for you, they'll have to move it for everyone.

Agree that you should wait until you'll be at the 26 weeks point. It's only 1.5 more weeks to wait (and that's assuming you conceive straight away).

I would say that they won’t negotiate and you shouldn’t believe that they will. You would be stupid not to wait to conceive given the extra time you would be entitled to.

I agree with pp, leave ttc for a month or two longer. You are not guaranteed to hit the jackpot straight away anyway so the chances of a Christmas baby are irrelevant until you know if your one of those “he hung his trousers on the back of my bedroom door and....boom I was pregnant“ types or not.

They don’t give the extra 26 weeks out the goodness of their hearts, it’s a statutory thing so there’s no negotiation going to be possible with that.