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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

3 months pregnant and just been made redundant - no clue what to do!

152 replies

TwittleBee · 04/03/2019 15:14

I was greeted by my Director and HR manager this morning with the news that I am being made redundant. Brexit was their reason behind this along with I'm the last in so first out.

Anyway, I'm 3 months pregnant (They didn't know this btw) and so have no bloomin clue what to do next...

Our finances are so tight, we have a stupidly high mortgage and I'm the bread winner! I've done the maths and with everything striped back we will be £350 short a month. We won't be entitled to any support too (Halifax suggest we looked on entitledto website already) as DH earns £24k.

I've already asked Halifax if we could have a temporary break or just pay interest only but we don't qualify.

If I do apply for another job surely the new employer will be seriously annoyed that I am going to be leaving start of September? (Possibly sooner as DS was born early). Also how does mat leave and pay even work out?

I know £24k seems like a lot and I know many people manage to survive on that but we stupidly crippled ourselves with a mortgage of £1300 a month and have no savings. Again, I feel stupid now for us having another baby but there was no sign of job insecurity.

Just posting on here for advice, help or any sort of way out of this. Feel like I'm in a very dark hole right now and can't stop being physically sick with fear.

OP posts:
CrohnicallyEarly · 04/03/2019 15:19

Have you looked into maternity allowance, the government can pay that if you're pregnant, have been working but can't get SMP.

tipsytrainee46 · 04/03/2019 15:21

Pregnant woman (whether your employer knew about it at the time of redundancy or not) are entitled to special protection against redundancy, so if you have not done so already, let your employer know you are pregnant.

They then have the obligation to do everything they can to help you keep your job (I.e explore all other possible alternatives - other roles you could be qualified for etc). Particularly if now everyone within the organisation is being made redundant this could be helpful for you.

Otherwise you may have to try and seek out a fixed term 6 month contract? May not be the easiest thing to find something like that, but I imagine it would be your best bet.

Good luck and congrats on the baby!

OneForTheRoadThen · 04/03/2019 15:22

Really sorry to hear that 💐 do you pay for childcare for your other children? You may be able to save that if you're not working?

What redundancy package do you have?

KatnissMellark · 04/03/2019 15:22

What job do you do? Can you contract or temp?

Even look for some bar or evening supermarket work to do outside of DHs work hours so no childcare costs, to try to make up the £350.

foxsbiscuit · 04/03/2019 15:25

what job do you do, will it be easy to get something else. That mortgage seems so high for only 24k so I assume you earn much more..Could you get a job and go back to work while your DP takes.care of the baby? Is moving an option?

Original poster
TwittleBee · 04/03/2019 15:25

Should have said I did tell my employer that I was pregnant once they broke the news, they just looked sorry for me but then said they were happy as they know about the previous MMC that happened during their employment.

DH works shifts so it's really difficult to share childcare of DS. He would need to go to Nursery which means I'll need to find a job that would cover those costs too, as it was it was tight with me working and nursery costs.

OP posts:
OneForTheRoadThen · 04/03/2019 15:28

@CrohnicallyEarly I thought that it was only on maternity leave that you had special rights in redundancy situations?

My understanding (I was put at risk of redundancy last year at 31 weeks pregnant) was that as long as the company could demonstrate the selection process was fair then pregnancy didn't make any difference

DuploRelatedInjury · 04/03/2019 15:28

With regard to maternity pay you should be entitled to maternity allowance (which pays up to the same amount as SMP) as long as you've been in employment for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before baby is due. Like a PP has said I thought that being pregnant meant they have to find you an alternative post if at all possible, so might be worth letting them know?

OneForTheRoadThen · 04/03/2019 15:30

@TwittleBee is it just you who has been made redundant or are there several others?

Grumpasaurous · 04/03/2019 15:33

@twittlwbee time to set up a glamoubg area in your woods and make some pennies that way?

Grumpasaurous · 04/03/2019 15:33

Wtf is glamboug GLAMPING!!!

myrtleWilson · 04/03/2019 15:33

Sorry to hear this, as part of the discussion this morning was there any consideration given to alternatives. As far as I understand it in the "consultation" period you can suggest alternatives - for example reducing hours? I don't know if that would be a better short term alternative to trying to seek new employment whilst pregnant?

Mosaic123 · 04/03/2019 15:49

Lodger? At least until the baby is born.

And under this scheme you can receive £7,500 free of tax per year.

www.gov.uk/rent-room-in-your-home/the-rent-a-room-scheme

AndItStillSaidFourOfTwo · 04/03/2019 15:50

I think I'd be looking to move to a cheaper place before the baby comes.

You need to check they've done their due diligence wrt your redundancy. Your pregnancy may mean it's not as simple as last in/first out.

What's your chance of negotiating a package that will tide you over?

araiwa · 04/03/2019 15:53

I would feel really icky using my pregnancy after the fact to cause someone else to lose their job instead.

meorhim20 · 04/03/2019 15:55

I'd go temping. did it under similar circumstances. You will still qualify for maternity allowance (same as SMP apart from the first 6 weeks where SMP is more).Then finding something new after mat leave.

And congrats!

BarbarianMum · 04/03/2019 15:56

Please dont give up on finding a new job just because you are pregnant. My company hired a pregnant woman only last week, not all employers will discriminate.

Mummyoflittledragon · 04/03/2019 15:57

Oh no I’m sorry to hear that! Have you been there more than 2 years? You should talk to acas whether or not this is the case for advice.

ScarletBitch · 04/03/2019 15:57

Wow 24Ka month and your struggling? Sorry but either get another job or sell your house and live within your means.

CatToddlerUprising · 04/03/2019 15:58

ScarletBitch- I think OP meant 24k a year

Ells0204 · 04/03/2019 16:01

pregnantthenscrewed.com Have a free advice help line! X

Karigan195 · 04/03/2019 16:03

I’m so sorry to hear that! I’d suggest seeking some independent legal advice re terminating your employment whilst pregnant. Also how long have you worked there? Is there a redundancy package?

Petitprince · 04/03/2019 16:04

Are you in a union? Last in first out isn't usually an acceptable redundancy policy. Your rep will be able to help you with this. How long have you been there?

ABC1234DEF · 04/03/2019 16:05

Have you taken your redundancy package into consideration?

Original poster
TwittleBee · 04/03/2019 16:07

I was there for 9 months but still on probation as they extended my probation after my MMC as they said they weren't sure if I needed time out to work out in my fertility.

I've been given 2 months pay which is more than they needed to give me considering I'm on probation still...

With 2 months pay we would still be so tight, it won't cover us for enough time to get me back into work after mat leave.

OP posts:
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