Not been paid maternity pay

[BasoonerOrLater]

NC and posting for traffic, sorry!

Little bit of a complex situation. I gave birth on Sunday to DD2. Most of my pregnancy I was off with HG. I handed in my MATB1, was given a schedule of my maternity pay etc and my expectation was it would start on my due date, as notified - end of June pay was expected sick pay.

Two days before giving birth (ie over a week into July) I was sent a letter stating in fact my maternity pay was triggered at the start of June (4 week rule). I know employers CAN do this, but given the timing (date on the letter reflected date received), lack of notification, maternity schedule and the fact my end of June pay was sick pay, not maternity pay, I had assumed that this wasn’t being triggered for whatever reason.

I think in light of the above it shouldn’t have been triggered but, if it has, I am worried about getting two months in one lump sum due to NI and SL payments so obviously I don’t want this to happen. It also means effectively I haven’t and won’t be paid maternity pay for 8 weeks after the start of my apparent maternity leave.

I am a very anxious and highly strung person who is 3 days post partum, yet cannot stop worrying about this. Obviously I have contacted everyone (HR, manager, external payroll provider) but nobody is responding to me.

Where can I go from here? I just want to stop thinking about this and focus on my baby, but either I’ve not been paid maternity pay (and don’t know when I will be), or I will be paid and suffer financially due to back payments plus lose a month of my maternity leave.

When is your usual pay date? Might the early start of your ml have missed the cut off? Try not to take it too personally and let it overshadow first weeks with your newborn. It is more than likely an admin hiccup with payroll which will be rectified.

@LIZS Definitely not missed, it was very start of the month for apparent start date, and very end of the month payday. No doubt there’s been an admin cock up but the result is that rectifying that through backpay will cost me a significant amount in take home.

You’re definitely right that I’m taking it personally though - I am incredibly teary and upset, about the situation but also just the fact I’m being ignored and not getting any reassurance that it actually will be sorted.

I would recommend you contact Pregnant Then Screwed or the Maternity Action Group. Both organisations deal with employment rights for pregnant women

I’m being ignored and not getting any reassurance that it actually will be sorted.

That's just really shoddy. Do you have any escalation point e.g. a head of HR, or some such? Ask for a copy of the grievance procedure etc.

It's fine if they need time to work out what happened and when, but not acceptable to leave you in limbo like this re what's happening, what stage of investigation it's in and such.

I'd ensure all comms is in writing (email) from now on. And mention ACAS advising, let them know your union rep is now being contacted and that you want to understand timelines and ownership of getting this resolved so their shoddy organisation/ process isn't leaving you in a vulnerable financial position.

would recommend you contact Pregnant Then Screwed or the Maternity Action Group.

Absolutely this too

Yes agree that if you are signed off ill during pregancy it will trigger mat leave early. They don't want you working pregnant and ill.

Regarding chosing the start date.
You put down when you would like to start it eg) 2 weeks before due date. If you give birth before then it triggers. If after it starts on the date you chose.

It's a bit of a minefiled I was told by HR don't be on parental leave when pregnant as it's unpaid as if you give birth you are entitled to nothing!

yes try maternity action maternityaction.org.uk/

If you were on pregnancy related sickness at any point in the 4 weeks before due date then your maternity leave must start then and not on your requested date.

Scrolling down to post exactly this.

If you were paid sick pay in June they will deduct this from whatever maternity payment you are receiving in July (plus June mat arrears).

Did you earn enough in your qualifying weeks to get maternity pay? If you were off sick you might not have?

You may not qualify for SMP and then will depend on company policy what they do re your occupational mat pay. In NHS they top up to standard pay for occupational if on sick leave in the qualifying months.

Any luck, op?