Cost of living payment from company / mat leave

[roarfeckingroarr]

My company has just announced a COL payment for everyone earning below £xx at full time earnings.

I earn above this. It's annoying to miss out, but I get it.

However - AIBU to think they should take into account people on various types of leave that significantly affect their pay - eg carers leave, parental leave, sickness leave? The amount I will earn next year will be significantly below the cut off amount because of the company's shoddy mat pay . As this is a one off COL - and everyone who is caring for a baby or unwell is likely to have high COL in terms of energy - AIBU to think an exception should be made?

Yes - I chose to have a baby. I know. But this payment is to support colleagues who will take home below £xx amount with COL - and that includes me and others in my situation.

I also think people on mat leave should be entitled to one of the govt COL payments.

I’m absolutely sick and tired of seeing people whining about others receiving the cost of living payment. This is a payment to support those on lower incomes in our society. If you earn above the threshold then you don’t get the payment. Next years earnings have nothing to do with this years cost of living payment, who knows there may not even be a cost of living payment next year.

@WinterWitchy the OP is referring to a company COL payment though, not a government scheme.

I totally agree with you. We had a COL payment this year. There were different rates depending on what you earnt. My wages on maternity leave would have qualified me for the higher payment, but they did it on my usual money so I didn't get as much. Given we don't have a brilliant maternity package my nose is totally out of joint!

Well, as you say, you chose to have a baby.

People on sick leave may already be on full pay, but if not, it would be generous of the company to pay them a COL payment.

Even so, surely it’s only for the lower paid members of staff and there will be a threshold. Honestly I’m fed up of hearing people whining about others getting any cost of living payments.

The OP also says she thinks she should be entitled to the government COL payment.

I'm not whining about other people receiving it. I'm glad they are.

It's being paid next year, when I too will be earning under the threshold because of maternity pay being lower than my usual pay.

@LaraLocket that's exactly where I am with it. My pay is going to be vastly lower - because of their shitty mat pay policy. If person A on £xx amount is getting a payment to help, why would person B (me) who will be on less than £xx amount for this period of time not also get it?

@WinterWitchy I think you're projecting. At no point have I whined about other people receiving this payment. I'm glad they are. I just think that everyone who is receiving less than the cut off amount - regardless of why - should also receive it.

OP have you asked your work the question? Mine have done this and made exceptions, they didn't actually think about all scenarios. Could be worth a chat.

Have you asked them about it? I would send an email to whoever deals with it and sau something along the lines of:

Dear Bob,

I've see next year's cost of living payment is for people taking home under £x. I wondered if you could check to see if I will qualify please as my earnings next year will be £x.

No harm in asking. And if they're using this year's pay, I'd expect people on statutory leave to qualify if it brings them below the threshold.

That's a good idea, thank you.

Feeling very worried and pretty sad.

I’m certainly not projecting, why you thought that is very odd!

You chose to have a child at the end of the day and you never made it clear that the payment was being made next year.

As others have said email them. I think it’s unfair that anyone who has a salary above the threshold gets a COL payment whose chosen to go on mat leave. Surely the COL payment is for lower earners.

People whose regular salary is lower need CoL payments because they often have no buffer in normal times. People who were already struggling to pay for food and heating haven’t the option of putting money into savings so simply cannot weather the storm. Those on temporarily lower take home pay should already have a buffer in place, particularly if the period of lower pay was expected (eg for mat leave).

That said, it your company may have just not thought it through. I’d ask.

Depending on your company (as some will be more receptive than others) I'd take this approach.

I do see your point OP - they're looking at contractual salary rather than actual earnings which doesn't seem fair. Out of interest I'm assuming part time workers get it if their full time equivalent salary is over the threshold but part time salary under it? The same argument could be applied here.

Well, I didn't choose to have a child. I chose to not terminate a protected-against pregnancy. I have my toddler's well-being, my nearly here newborn's and my own to worry about. Your smart arse comments really don't help the realities of an unexpected pregnancy in an unprecedented cost of living crisis. But I hope they made you feel good.

No, your pay is going to be considerably lower because you chose to have a baby. The ones getting are paid lower year in, year out.

Yes, you chose not to have a termination which meant you chose to have a child.

If the person qualified for UC or one of the other benefits, by the cut off dates they would have gotten the Col payment whilst on maternity.

@Roundandnour yes, I've just seen I will qualify for the £900 one next year.

I would ask your company about its policy and if there's any flexibility. We don't know anything about its setup etc. so there's not much point in asking us! I have no idea if they are being unreasonable or not as I know nothing about them.

I think the suggestion to speak to your company and give a bit of detail about your circumstances, I hope they make the exception for you - next year you'll be receiving it anyway.

I'm sorry that you've had such snippy comments. It really didn't used to be like that here. Your OP would have had posters thinking out of the box for you, not rushing in to make you feel worse.

Hope the conversation goes well, I'd do it by e-mail. Good luck!

But contractually you're not below the threshold and that will be the cut off. There would be huge administration involved in trying to future guess/calculate someone on sick leave / maternity leave and how soon they would come back. So the fairest and simplest way is to look at your contractual pay not earnings based on circumstances

I agree.

Well, I didn't choose to have a child. I chose to not terminate a protected-against pregnancy.

That is choosing to have a child.

What horrible responses. I agree with the @LyingWitchInTheWardrobe about it not previously being like this.

My work rejigged its COL payments after feedback so that they had the least impact as possible on Universal Credit payments to make sure those who needed it most actually got to keep as much as possible, so perhaps start with a chat to your line manager/HR.