Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

Statutory maternity pay

20 replies

CelebrateGoodTimes · 05/02/2019 20:28

AIBU to not want to settle for that? Its all my employer offers and makes me think I'd better find another job before TTC. I know it's the legal minimum but my friends get a much better package in their jobs

OP posts:

WineAndTiramisu · 05/02/2019 20:29

It's kind of up to you... No one is going say you're unreasonable to not want to settle for that

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 05/02/2019 20:29

You either accept it or look for another job.

How long have you been employed for.

trilbydoll · 05/02/2019 20:32

It depends on what else you value. Do you want to go back part time? Or conversely do you want to go back with confidence your career won't be ruined by institutional sexism? How does your current employer perform against your other priorities?

YouBoggleMyMind · 05/02/2019 20:33

Depends if you're willing to wait to find a new job that offers enhanced maternity pay and then wait a bit longer to be eligible for it (assuming you have to be at new employment a certain amount of time to qualify for it?)

Amummyatlast · 05/02/2019 20:34

Will you be able to find an employer in your area that offers more than SMP? I’m a professional and only got SMP.

lostvoice · 05/02/2019 20:35

It's also worth considering the time scale though, for better offers you generally need to be employed for a certain time.
I personally wouldn't have delayed having DD.
However for a 2nd we plan to wait until I qualify in my new role for better pay. I also know I want to say here after Mat. My first job I knew I wasn't going to go back

anniehm · 05/02/2019 20:35

Unfortunately that is common these days and even those with enhanced packages you usually need to have been there 2 years and have to commit to returning.

LIZS · 05/02/2019 20:36

Many employers only offer smp and even those who enhanced pay often only do so for senior employees or after a qualifying period, then require a return to work for a minimum period afterwards. It will vary hugely and you may not know before you are recruited. Do you really want the timing of a family to hinge so heavily on this?

foreverderbyshire · 05/02/2019 20:39

You'll probably need fu be in a new job for a while to get an enhanced package. When I had DD, I'd been back working in the NHS for 3m when I got pg so 1yr before my due date. That wasn't enough so I just got SMP after 6weeks at a % of my salary that I don't recall (it wasn't great)

Youcandothis365 · 05/02/2019 20:42

Do you have any leverage to speak to your employer? Or does your employer's competitors offer an enhanced package?

A couple of years ago, I approached my employer about enhanced maternity on the basis that their competitors would offer that. I appreciate I was in a unique position (I'd worked there years and they were worried about loosing me to a competitor).

peachypetite · 05/02/2019 20:44

Look at universities, you usually are eligible whatever time you've been there

MintCassis · 05/02/2019 20:51

It’s worth finding out the specifics of the EMP too. I qualify for it after two years with my employer but when I looked at it in more detail now we’re TTC I’d actually be worse off than SMP!! Only top level management roles (less than 10% if people in the organisation) would actually benefit from the enhanced package.

Since2016 · 05/02/2019 20:54

I mean you don’t have to settle but you’ll need to find a new job... and as PP have said - there’s usually a qualifying period before you’d get enhanced pay.

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 05/02/2019 20:56

It depends, maternity pay above statutory minimum is a benefit and you'd have to weigh it up against all the other benefit's that make up the package like pension which still gets paid etc.

Might be hard going back into a job you've only been in a year and then out a year and trying to prove yourself while settling a baby in to nursery and trying to persuade you to go part time

Circumstances may dictate that you don't go back or you might not want to

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 05/02/2019 21:01

Oh also check what the wording actually says. For example ours said the average of your monthly salary between weeks 15 - 25 of pregnancy or something (worked back from due date or when you were planning to start mat leave). I didn't realise in time but if you do overtime or can time it so you sell some holiday back or swap some other benefits for cash then, it will be reflected in your monthly maternity payments

HainaultViaNewburyPark · 05/02/2019 21:03

There is usually a qualifying period for enhanced packages (it’s 3 years at my company).
You have to go back to work after maternity leave (for 6 months at my company)
If you go back on less hours than you were on before maternity leave, then you usually have to pay back a proportion of the enhanced maternity pay (e.g. if you dropped from FT to 0.5, then you’d have to pay back half of the enhanced pay).

Dyingforchocolate · 05/02/2019 21:06

Like pp said, you usually have to be employed for a certain period of time before you qualify for enhanced pay. It's 3 years in my work, and if you don't go back to work you have to pay it back. So you really would need to weigh up if you want to wait 2/3 years to conceive and if you plan to go back to work full time after maternity leave.

HollyGoLoudly1 · 05/02/2019 21:13

It depends on your job/circumstances but I would say YABU. Lots of places only offer SMP. Even if you are offered enhanced, it might be something like 12 weeks full pay vs the 6 weeks you get with SMP. Is it worth leaving your job over 6 weeks extra pay during maternity leave?

My EMP wasn't great but it never occurred to me to move - I love my job and I wouldn't leave it just to get a few weeks extra maternity. Unless you see yourself leaving at some point anyway, I don't see how it would be a good move long term. You're only on maternity leave for a year at most, you will be working an awful lot longer than that!

babysharkah · 05/02/2019 21:22

It's not about settling it's about being eligible for an enhanced package.

Alarae · 05/02/2019 21:30

I moved in September last year to my current job to escape SMP. My current maternity policy stipulates that I have to be in the role a year during the qualifying weeks, so I can TTC from April. Our original plan was end of Feb, so not much difference really!

Plus I've had a nice promotion and payrise (yesterday!) which means my EMP increases, as I get SMP but an additional payment of 25% my gross salary.

If you have the time to work it out, I would say go for it if you would also enjoy the change of role. If you are happy where you are, a few extra grand might not be worth it.

Flip