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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Mat pay

33 replies

STripleM · 10/02/2022 15:50

Have asked to see my company's mat leave policy. Have a couple friends who work here and have been on mat leave and when I asked them before joining they said it was pretty good - ( 18 weeks at 90%). Now I've got a copy of the policy but it states you need to have been working here for 2.5 years before going on mat leave in order to qualify for the enhanced pay. Obvs will get statutory pay regardless. Does anyone else think this is massively out of touch?! Most friends I've asked and places I've worked you needed to work for a year before you qualify. I'm feeling a bit stressed now!

AIBU?

Yes - 2.5 years is fine, get back in line
No - that's far too long to ask anyone to work there before qualifying for mat pay

OP posts:
ThatsALotOfPassionfruit · 10/02/2022 15:53

I think anywhere that offers enhanced pay can set whatever rules they want and I don’t think 2.5 years service before being eligible is bad really. It means you only need to have worked there just over 18 months before falling pregnant to qualify

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 10/02/2022 15:55

I year seems more common but some places are stingy gits.

Overthebow · 10/02/2022 15:56

It’s probably above the average number of years but doesn’t seem too bad to me.

Overthebow · 10/02/2022 15:57

Abd yes, it’s 2.5 years before going on may leave, not 2.5 years before getting pregnant

Lunamoon07 · 10/02/2022 15:57

I didn't get any enhanced maternity pay with my job and I'd worked their 14 years. I knew that beforehand though and just made sure I saved enough to keep us going until I returned back to work.

bcc89 · 10/02/2022 15:57

Depends what the enhanced pay is, but personally 1 year would have been more appropriate for you work's policy!

If they were offering full pay for longer, then half pay or similar, I'd have thought 2.5 years was fine.

HeyItsPickleRick · 10/02/2022 15:58

That is quite a while. Last place I worked was enhanced regardless but enhanced even more after 2 years.

Place I am now was no minimum service and they've given me 6 months full pay plus promoted me whilst on mat leave and gave me the uplift immediately!

ByMyName · 10/02/2022 15:59

You are only legally entitled to statutory maternity pay. A business can choose to apply enhanced maternity pay according to its own internal policy.

We only offer enhanced maternity pay at manager level and above, with a clawback clause. This is because it is more difficult for us to recruit at this level.

Original poster
STripleM · 10/02/2022 16:02

@bcc89

Depends what the enhanced pay is, but personally 1 year would have been more appropriate for you work's policy!

If they were offering full pay for longer, then half pay or similar, I'd have thought 2.5 years was fine.

It's full pay for 5 months which is pretty common in my sector.
OP posts:
daimbarsatemydogsbone · 10/02/2022 16:03

@ByMyName

You are only legally entitled to statutory maternity pay. A business can choose to apply enhanced maternity pay according to its own internal policy.

We only offer enhanced maternity pay at manager level and above, with a clawback clause. This is because it is more difficult for us to recruit at this level.

Stingy :)
WhatEvenHappened44 · 10/02/2022 16:06

@ByMyName

You are only legally entitled to statutory maternity pay. A business can choose to apply enhanced maternity pay according to its own internal policy.

We only offer enhanced maternity pay at manager level and above, with a clawback clause. This is because it is more difficult for us to recruit at this level.

That's my such an awful policy. "You can be replaced easily so why would we support you". Brilliant. Imagine working at a company for 5 years and hearing that when you decide to start a family. Lord help us
bcc89 · 10/02/2022 16:08

Sorry, I thought it was 18 weeks at 90%? I'm confused haha

Anyway 5 months full pay is amazing! I'd have loved that

Sittingonabench · 10/02/2022 16:17

From a a commercial perspective 1 month every 6 months worked seems reasonable. Obviously it depends if that fits in with your circumstances but allowing that time means that you will have developed and secured connections, loyalty to the company and hopefully the transition back into work will be easier. I guess the problem with reduced time is that if you work there for a year and then have 6-12months maternity, coming back can be daunting and may feel like you’re starting again

Rickrollme · 10/02/2022 16:21

Why does everyone think their work is supposed to give them extra money because they care about them personally? That’s not how a business is run. In some cases it makes economic sense to be more generous so that employees will be happier and more loyal but that’s still a business decision.

JuicySatsuma85 · 10/02/2022 16:22

I’m on mat leave at the moment. I got 4 weeks enhanced pay and I’ve been with my employer for 10 years Smile

FairyLightQueen · 10/02/2022 16:28

@bcc89

Sorry, I thought it was 18 weeks at 90%? I'm confused haha

Anyway 5 months full pay is amazing! I'd have loved that

Sounds like it's 5 months of full pay and then 90% at 18 weeks after that.
FairyLightQueen · 10/02/2022 16:29

2.5 years is definitely the upper end of normal but on the other hand you'll only need to be there for just over 1.5yrs before getting pregnant to qualify.

RainbowBridge21 · 10/02/2022 16:30

It sucks but it is pretty standard

Vimto1991 · 10/02/2022 16:32

I’ve been here four and a half years and I get sod all. 🙃
I agree with others that it’s an incentive to stay with the company, and a nice reward if you get pregnant.
I can agree it seems stingy, but to be there 2.5 years you’ve really got your head around the job at that point.

HopefulProcrastinator · 10/02/2022 16:33

YABU enhanced maternity pay is an additional cost for a business in excess of it's legal requirements.

They're free to attach any non-discriminatory conditions that work in their commercial interest, including qualifying service and minimum service on return.

Commercial interest also includes being able to recruit the best people for the role, if this policy was causing problems it'd have been amended by now.

itwasntaparty · 10/02/2022 16:34

Fair enough IMO. My firm now offers a year fully paid which is incredible, but you have to have been there two years to qualify.

I didn't get anything like that, it was 6 weeks full, 6 weeks 90% and then some time at 50 and then nothing for the last year.

There is a clause in the new policy that you have to pay a certain amount back if you don't return for a qualifying period.

NeesAndToes · 10/02/2022 16:35

I think that's a pretty "good" enhanced rate. That would be why you have to be there a bit before getting pregnant to qualify.

NeesAndToes · 10/02/2022 16:36

@itwasntaparty

Fair enough IMO. My firm now offers a year fully paid which is incredible, but you have to have been there two years to qualify.

I didn't get anything like that, it was 6 weeks full, 6 weeks 90% and then some time at 50 and then nothing for the last year.

There is a clause in the new policy that you have to pay a certain amount back if you don't return for a qualifying period.

I prefer the policies where you pay it back if you don't come back tbh. It usually means they are more generous.
daimbarsatemydogsbone · 10/02/2022 16:39

There is a terrible cap-doffing race to the bottom sentiment on this thread. I mean obviously Sir Bufton Tufton has to pay for his castle and his Bentley somehow but really ........

TokenGinger · 10/02/2022 16:41

@ThatsALotOfPassionfruit

I think anywhere that offers enhanced pay can set whatever rules they want and I don’t think 2.5 years service before being eligible is bad really. It means you only need to have worked there just over 18 months before falling pregnant to qualify
I agree with this. I have plenty of friends who have got by on SMP because that's all their company has offered, and are obliged to offer. I think if they're offering enhanced pay, they can set any threshold they want.