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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to lose my rag completely with my employer?

183 replies

Edumacator · 23/02/2023 13:16

I was a science teacher in a secondary school. When I fell pregnant, I told my employer early on because I had a high-risk pregnancy and needed lots of appointments as well as obvious issues of my role (chemicals, fire, fumes but also working in a school with poor behaviour and very frequent physical alternations and incidents). Within a week, my school posted an advert online for a new science teacher to start as soon as possible. I raised it and was told that they’re intending to expand the department - first time that’s been mentioned and the school isn’t growing in student numbers (it’s not a school of choice locally). Not to mention, they wouldn’t expand a department mid-year because they’d have to reshuffle all the timetables and room allocations etc. But, the state of teaching being what it is, they didn’t get any applicants so no one was hired. I’m currently on maternity leave and I won’t be returning - I have a job that’s not in teaching lined up. I just gave my employer my notice to leave at the end of the Easter holiday - giving the required notice. Just got my payslip via email and the bastards haven’t paid me anything this month. AIBU to be absolutely sick to death of this shit now?

OP posts:
Original poster
Edumacator · 23/02/2023 13:18

They’ve even bloody charged me tax on the nothing that they’ve paid me!

OP posts:
MySaladDaysAreGone · 23/02/2023 13:18

are you on maternity leave? Are you beyond the 39 weeks of paid leave?

Original poster
Edumacator · 23/02/2023 13:19

MySaladDaysAreGone · 23/02/2023 13:18

are you on maternity leave? Are you beyond the 39 weeks of paid leave?

Yes and no

OP posts:
ArmchairAnarchist2 · 23/02/2023 13:20

Yes and no?

Fairyliz · 23/02/2023 13:20

How long have you been on maternity leave? Did you find out how much statutory/occupational maternity pay you are entitled too?
It a long time since my children were born but I certainly didn’t get paid for the whole of my maternity leave.

Original poster
Edumacator · 23/02/2023 13:22

Fairyliz · 23/02/2023 13:20

How long have you been on maternity leave? Did you find out how much statutory/occupational maternity pay you are entitled too?
It a long time since my children were born but I certainly didn’t get paid for the whole of my maternity leave.

Since September. I’m still supposed to be being paid. They’ve even knocked off tax. They’ve paid me a minus figure!

OP posts:
Fairyliz · 23/02/2023 13:22

Edumacator · 23/02/2023 13:18

They’ve even bloody charged me tax on the nothing that they’ve paid me!

They can’t charge you tax on nothing. If it’s showing a - in front of the tax that’s a refund.
Think you need to talk to your school business manager/HR/ payroll and get them to explain it to you before getting all het up.

MySaladDaysAreGone · 23/02/2023 13:24

Do you have a maternity pay schedule that sets out what you should be paid over the course of your Mat leave? Check this. Also check your letter confirming Mat leave as if you received contractual Mat pay on top of statutory you may be obliged to pay that back if you don’t return to work at the end of your Mat leave - it could be this.

VariationsonaTheme · 23/02/2023 13:25

They can’t charge you tax on money you haven’t had. I wonder if they’ve realised you’ll be overpaid on maternity pay now that you won’t be going back. Are they trying to reclaim some of the occupational maternity pay?

DrMarciaFieldstone · 23/02/2023 13:26

Does your contractual maternity pay need to be repaid if you don’t return?

Original poster
Edumacator · 23/02/2023 13:27

MySaladDaysAreGone · 23/02/2023 13:24

Do you have a maternity pay schedule that sets out what you should be paid over the course of your Mat leave? Check this. Also check your letter confirming Mat leave as if you received contractual Mat pay on top of statutory you may be obliged to pay that back if you don’t return to work at the end of your Mat leave - it could be this.

I didn’t claim enhanced pay for this exact reason. I should be receiving £156.66 per week until April 17th according to the emails from when I left.

OP posts:
Nimbostratus100 · 23/02/2023 13:28

are you sure you still should be being paid? When does the pay end? Isnt it 3 months full pay, 3 months half pay? Did you attend any work at the start of September? Or did they count your maternity leave from the end of July?

Either way you should be being informed

Original poster
Edumacator · 23/02/2023 13:28

Actually, I should be getting £156.66 until March 31st and then two weeks of full pay for the Easter holiday before April 17th.

OP posts:
MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 23/02/2023 13:28

Is this because you've received occupational mat pay that you'll now have to pay back because you're not returning? What does your school say when you ask them about it?

Cotswoldmama · 23/02/2023 13:29

I thought there was some sort of thing where you had to return for three months after maternity leave or you would have to pay back maternity pay. I seem to remember my sis in law having to do that but it was over 10 years ago now so things have probably changed.

Original poster
Edumacator · 23/02/2023 13:29

Nimbostratus100 · 23/02/2023 13:28

are you sure you still should be being paid? When does the pay end? Isnt it 3 months full pay, 3 months half pay? Did you attend any work at the start of September? Or did they count your maternity leave from the end of July?

Either way you should be being informed

I am 100% sure I should still be being paid.

OP posts:
SarahMused · 23/02/2023 13:29

It’s a while since since took maternity leave as a teacher but at that time you had to return to work for a certain length of time or you had to pay back part of your maternity pay. Maybe you have been paid more than you are entitled to if you aren’t intending to return. The only way to know for sure is to speak to your school.

Original poster
Edumacator · 23/02/2023 13:30

I didn’t take enhanced maternity pay!

OP posts:
Nimbostratus100 · 23/02/2023 13:31

did you attend any work after the end of July? I suspect they started your maternity leave calculation then, which makes it end in January

SunshineAndFizz · 23/02/2023 13:32

Not sure how the two things are related (them posting a job and messing up your mat pay).

Speak to ASAS for free advice on what you're entitled to (or your union if relevant) then speak to your school and tell them to sort it out.

Original poster
Edumacator · 23/02/2023 13:32

Nimbostratus100 · 23/02/2023 13:31

did you attend any work after the end of July? I suspect they started your maternity leave calculation then, which makes it end in January

Statutory maternity pay is for 39 weeks. Even if they did do that (they didn’t) then it wouldn’t end in January.

OP posts:
MySaladDaysAreGone · 23/02/2023 13:33

Speak to the business manager and have your pay schedule in front of you to refer to when you do

Nimbostratus100 · 23/02/2023 13:33

is it an academy? Where I work it is 3 months full pay, three months half pay

SarahMused · 23/02/2023 13:35

I’ve had a look and you have to return for 13 weeks in order to keep the occupational part of your maternity leave paid under the Burgundy Book. SMP doesn’t have to be repaid.

Original poster
Edumacator · 23/02/2023 13:38

SarahMused · 23/02/2023 13:35

I’ve had a look and you have to return for 13 weeks in order to keep the occupational part of your maternity leave paid under the Burgundy Book. SMP doesn’t have to be repaid.

I didn’t get any occupational maternity pay! They’ve not paid me my statutory pay!

OP posts:
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