Requesting change to mat pay

[Jadefeather7]

Hi

My company is updating its mat leave policy and it goes into effect 3 weeks after I start mine. Anyone who goes away before this will continue on the old policy (i.e. me). The new policy is much more generous. AIBU to ask for some sort of compromise?

Thanks

How many weeks will you be when you leav e? Could you postpone it?

Are you working up until your due date? If not, can you delay your mat leave starting by 3 weeks? Or take some annual leave so you're officially not on mat leave yet but you'll not have to be in work? I guess they have to have a cut off point but it's a bit rubbish that it affects you.

I echo the first poster- can you delay the start of yours?

No unfortunately unable to delay it.

You could ask- nothing to lose as long as you're polite and all that- but I would expect the only way to get the new package would be to wait for it to come in before you go

I’m inclined to say something. Don’t have my hopes up but I feel like I should say something. Just wanted to see whether others think it’s reasonable to do so!

Why can't u postpone? Are u working up to 40w?

During May leave you accrue holiday pay, can you ask to "borrow" leave from next year to cover the 3w?

Can you be unpaid for 3w (if there is substantial benefit to being on the new policy)?

^Mat leave

Hmm, I guess there has to be a cut off somewhere doesn't there? If the new terms were less favourable you'd be outraged to be put on them.
Definitely worth asking, but don't think you have a right to be granted.

How big is the company and any idea how many women are going to be on mat leave on the old terms? If there was literally only one or two of you then I would think it was mean of them. But if a very large company I can appreciate there would need to be a cut off.

Companies can make individual agreements about mat leave for a valued employee - I had this when we were on statutory only. But I wouldn't count on it - there will be some cut off. Especially if a large company there will likely be less flexibility.

But as pp say - you might as well ask.

No harm in asking!

I’m taking all the annual leave I’m entitled to and starting my mat leave very close to the due date.

It’s a small office in the U.K. (where the policy is changing) and I’m the only one this will effect. Head Office is in the USA where HR sit.

I think it's worth asking, but be prepared to give a good justification:

you are a long standing employee with a good employment record.

Your commitment to returning to the organisation after your maternity leave.

That you are the only employee who is affected by the change (do you know of anyone else who is due to commence maternity leave around the same time).

The financial implications - SMP is 90% of salary for 6 weeks, so by the time your SMP runs out, the new policy will be in force anyway.

Good luck.

It’s more likely to be whichever policy was in place when you were 25 weeks.

We changed our mat leave policy and said anyone who was already on mat leave and still receiving maternity pay when change took effect would have the new policy apply to them (meaning some employees had their pay topped up retrospectively) as this seemed the fairest thing to do.

@Mumundone, that’s great!

@Empressjewel, thanks for the suggestions! I definitely need to work out how to articulate why I feel they should make an allowance for me. I am really the only person it effects. The last person to go on maternity leave was 7 years ago and nobody else is pregnant at the moment. I’ve been a long term employee and have never really negotiated anything pay related so it’s new territory for me!