Maternity pay bullsh*t for teachers

[Teacherprebaby]

My school (state/academy), offers 6 weeks at 90% and the remaining at SMP so £185 a week. This is discrimination against women who want to have children. Am I being unreasonable to bring this up with my school?

SMP is shit, but it's not illegal and it's not discriminatory.

I can't remember completely but am sure it was more than that? 2015. X

If 2 full time earners can't save money before having children, then maybe they need to rethink having children. Where will they magic the money from for a new baby, everything that goes with that, childcare and so on?

My second was an accident born just as our (renovation) house sale completed which wiped every single penny of our savings on deposit/essential renovations. We couldn’t afford to save again and so I went back to work after 4 months because my job only offered SMP. With my first I had 6 months full pay so wasn’t really an issue!
Between us can afford 2x childcare and costs of having kids but timing meant there was no pot of savings available. Its not always that black and white I don’t think 🤷🏼‍♀️

I get that. But this is the situation for most people. We just deal with it somehow. It's not up to workplaces to take the cost of everyone having their babies.

Which bit? The 500 pound bit or the pausing your maternity? If you go on your union website- should say there. If not, I will try find a link for you tomorrow

Sorry I completely forgot to say, that this tactic of pausing maternity can be used it you do shared parental leave. Your husband doesn’t need to actually go on leave when you pause your maternity during the holidays either ( so you’re just saying it’s shared when it’s not really- Perfectly legal, many teachers do it) . Just make it clear to school you are going to do the shared parental leave in the holidays so technically you will be “ at work during the holidays. There is a website that goes through all this. Will try find it tomorrow

Why are you making it about teachers, when it is standard maternity pay for many employees.

I found the link!: https://www.teachersspl.co.uk/how-it-works

This. I have no idea why you're making this a teacher thing

its awful, buts it’s also what I got working for one of the biggest beauty companies in the world. A lot of private companies only offer statutory too, it’s not just the public sector.

It’s awful isn’t it! Not sure if I’m able to post links but urging you to find the teachersspl website - you can use your shared parental leave to essentially ‘go back’ to work in the Christmas, Easter and summer holidays to get paid even though you’ll still be at home with baby. There is loads of info on the website to support you in setting it up. Have a look then book in a meeting with HR, it still doesn’t make up for the awful maternity pay but should hopefully help a little.

My academy matched the local authority/standard UK maternity pay. What you’re describing is my issue with academies - they wiggle out of responsibilities and meeting minimum expectations for both staff and pupils.

I'm in an academy and we follow the burgundy book for maternity pay.

Ignore. In true MN fashion, someone always needs to turn it into a race to the bottom. Teachers get the same maternity leave across the country, just like I imagine NHS nurses do. Nurses wouldn’t be happy if their local hospitals were privatised and their maternity pay was dramatically cut either.

SMP is rubbish but many small employers would not be able to afford more while also paying maternity cover. Are we prepared to pay more tax or what should be cut for more SMP.
I was a trainee in LA legal and the employment solicitors tried their best for employee rights for the school staff including non teaching when there was academisation of LA schools. It wasn’t easy and of course would not have helped with new academies or new employees.

for the teachers around at the time what were the unions doing- did they play a big role?

It's not discrimination, men get less unless the mum basically gives the dad her leave.
Like other posters have said it's not a teacher thing either. Unless you mean it's okay for people to get SMP but teachers should get more.
Have the maternity pay rules at your employer changed since you started there? IE did they used to pay enhanced and have changed it fairly recently?

I got 1 week at 100%, 4 weeks at 50% and then statutory mat pay.

I understand this but when you’re job hunting you need to be aware of these things! I had my first child employed by a hospital trust and had their ‘good’ mat leave (can’t remember what it was but something like 90% for first 6 weeks then 50% + stat for 6 months) which allowed me 6 months + accrued leave off work. My next job was full pay for 6 months then half pay for 3 which allowed me 11 months off with my second. Mat pay at my current job is only slightly better than stat and worse than my previous too but I’m not planning any more kids. I agree Mat pay some places is rotten but it was a massive consideration for me when applying for jobs around baby age!

Primary care and community teams often have very different mat pay to large trusts. It’s something you do need to be aware of.

And you think it's ok?

Words in mouth. Not what I said.

It is discrimination against women for being the ones who get pregnant. Who have to save for it and go through dealing with such shit maternity pay from their employers!

Lol, because I can. I'm a teacher and this is my thread. If I wanted to know what Vets get for mat pay I'd ask that. 😂

My thread, me me me me me. 😊

YES IT LITERALLY IS!