To ask for your help with maternity leave entitlement.

[Namechange042012]

So basically how long did you have to be on a full time contract with your employers before you were entitled to maternity pay from the business and how much leave.

I am swapping jobs to another role on basically the same T&Cs but for a bit more money, but on looking on the T&Cs the new company says I have to be there 18months before I qualify for company maternity pay and its full pay for 3 months then drops to half pay for the remaining 9 months.

Is this standard?

smp you need to be not pregnant when you start with them basically, but enhanced can be anything, often 1-2 years service. I assume 18 months is from when you need it so pregnant after 9 months working is ok?

Ah I see so it's quite normal for it to be 18months service before you qualify for it. I thought it may mean 18months service, then you can inform you are say 3months pregnant.

My last place was only 12 months service but to be honest I was fine with that at the time as definitely didn't want kids neck then, but just want to know where I stand.

Does the sliding pay scale seem OK in relation to the norm? Or is there no norm ?

I got 6 weeks full pay, 6 weeks half pay, then 6 months SMP and 3 months of absolutely nothing - your sliding pay scale seems awesome to me!

Honestly, the norm for the vast majority of workers in the U.K. is SMP & not a single penny more.

How businesses choose to pay their company maternity benefits seem to have no rhyme or reason unless you are at a reasonably high level within the organisation OR if you’re a public sector worker where the benefits are very generous. There are often at least 12 month qualification periods, but I would speak to HR to iron out any contractual queries on the specifics.

I think the norm in private sector is statutory 9nly pay, so 6 weeks at 90% them smp for the remainder.
The pay you've quoted seems generous to me, again if private sector job.

Sounds dreamy! Ive been on statutary for 9 months now and not a penny more

I got full pay for 9 months.

I had to be at my employer for 2 years then i got 6months fulm pay 3 months smp

That sounds like a good pay deal. I have been in my job for 18 years and got 3 months full, 3 months half, 3 months statutory and as I am not going back for 11 months I get nothing for the last 2... This is when I do keeping in touch days to earn some money.

In the NHS it's 12 months to qualify for Occ Maternity Pay.

I literally get 90% of earnings for first 6 weeks and then SMP for the rest. Will need to return to work after 9 months as payments stop.

I would read your contract as, you have to have worked there for 18 months before getting pregnant to qualify.

I have been with them well over 9 years. They do not want to pay a penny more. So you seem to have a VERY good deal.