To TTC straight after starting a new job

[userttc2022]

Want to try for our first. I'm 31 so feel like time isn't really on my side.

Starting a new job on Monday. AIBU to start TTC as soon as my next cycle starts?

I'll also be on 45K and worried that if I go on maternity leave and return, they'll try to cut my pay as the role I'll be in is a high pressure management role that I don't think I could carry out unless I went back full-time, which I don't think I could do straight away.

Not unreasonable but I assume you’re not counting on maternity pay?

YANBU to TTC whenever you like, but I don't think 'time isn't on your side' is true at 31! It's still quite early for TTC compared to lots of women these days.

I'd double check that you're entitled to the full mat pay you think if you happen to get pregnant straight away. Maybe make sure you don't have a probation period or pass that first too?

You sound worried about the situation after mat leave. If they say your job can't be part time will you be prepared to go back full time? My job is 0.9WTE and I'd like to be 0.8WTE but it was this or nothing so I took it. I compress my hours so still get a weekday off with DD and work four longer days.

I did. Started a new job in Feb 2019, started TTC in March on our honeymoon. Didn’t actually get pregnant until November, told them in Feb 2020 so I’d been in the job a year by the time they had any news about pregnancy from me. Not to say that it’d take that long for you but I was 30 with no health concerns, its just how long it took for us!

I then got pregnant unexpectedly with DC2 within a month of returning from my first maternity leave so they’re probably not my biggest fans but what can you do 😂you need to do what you feel is right - a job is a job and you shouldn’t put your life on hold for it.

Just check the terms and conditions at your work - sometimes you have to be working somewhere for a while to get the enhanced maternity package - you might only get SMP. My DH missed out on enhanced paid paternity leave because you had to be there two years to receive it, and her only done just over 1 year.

The company don't offer any enhanced maternity pay so it would just be SMP which I believe I would be eligible for as long as I have a period after starting my job and then get pregnant. I think that is how one mumsnetter explained it to someone on here!

Probation is 3 months so if I was lucky enough to fall pregnant, I wouldn't announce until after anyway.

I don't think they'd force me into full time. They are a past client of mine so I know them well. And I have a feeling they would force me into a different role if I wanted to go part time. And that's fine. But if they change my role, can they also legally reduce my salary?

Yes I think if you agree to a new role. You have to be offered an equivalent job to the one you left, which presumably means same pay/level. They don't have to let you go part time though.

If your job is full time and you say you can't do full time, then you can't do your job anymore. That's not your employer forcing you to change job. So any rights you had about returning to the same role on the same ts and cs (it's only an equivalent role if you take additional mat leave) are null and void if you can't contractually fulfil the role.

What happens next depends. If they don't rate tou they may say it's your job at full time and there are no other jobs, for example. And in that instance they aren't moving the goalposts so legally it's not an issue.

Up to you when to try but the first trimester can be pretty rubbish and probably not the most helpful to you while in a probationary period. I think I’d get through that first.

Depends of size of the company to a point.

I would personally get through my probationary period.

I hired a girl once who did it this and at the time I was seriously hacked off. But now, as a parent, I totally get it

I assume you mean pro-rata because you would obv get a reduced salary if you go part time.

Ignore those who have clicked YABU! How ludicrous. You can have a baby whenever you like - there’s no way a company would attempt to reduce your pay, it would be a discrimination lawsuit waiting to happen. Good luck TTC and don’t let the new job stop you

Check out the Mat pay conditions. If you conceive straight away you may get less than if you wait a few months

I would try and get through probation personallt

No, just try straight away. It could happen, it might not.

If you're new you may only be entitled to maternity allowance not maternity pay and allowance is less. Check out the .gov website.

If they offer you your current role on your return and you refuse as you don't want to work full time they are under no obligation to offer you anything else......

No, I mean they may reduce my hourly rate by putting me into a different role and saying that the role is worth less than my management role. Not sure if they could legally do that or not.

Thank you. I was expecting the votes to be a lot more balanced but looks like lots think IABU haha!

I haven't read into all the legalities so unsure what my rights are in regards to pay when returning. It's all a bit of a minefield. I'm just worried they'll place me into a more junior role upon returning and therefore reduce my salary to that of a junior.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/parental-rights/maternity-leave-your-options-when-it-ends/

That gives you info they can refuse part time if it doesn't suit them but they have to offer you the same job back with same hours and wage if you request a different position in the company so you can go part time the drop in wage would reflect that they cant pay you a managers wage if you are not the manager

People who say YABU are ridiculous. Of course YANBU.

If you don't want your current job at the contracted hours after your maternity your employer has no duty to offer you reduced hours or a different role however if they are nice enough to offer you a different position with the hours you want it could be a much lower level and as such a lower pay. In that case your only choices would be to take the lower position/pay, return to your current job/hours or quit your job.
I suggest that you look into this further because I'm not sure whether you understand the limitations of the protection you would have and also work out what you would do if your work won't reduce your your hours and if you could afford to go back on a lower salary or not

If you return willing to do a similar role with similar hours then you will definitely get the same pay.

If though you want to reduce hours then you need to negotiate with your employer. They are fully in their rights to not offer you part-time hours (with pro-rata pay) doing the senior role. If they can only offer you a more junior role (which they don't have to) they are also in their rights to offer you the appropriate salary.

YANBU but I did this and I still haven't got the nerve to tell them I'm pregnant. I'm 18 weeks 😅

The point is as long as they offer you your current role its your choice to take it or not. They won't be changing your role it would be your choice to change your hours.

If you tell them you don’t want to do your management role and they offer you a lesser role instead, of course they can reduce your pay. You cannot expect to request a step down and not be paid less!

If you come back willing to do an equivalent role, then in that case of course they cannot reduce your pay.