maternity pay

[MiamiBeach104]

I'm due to start new job and the current policy says that upon 6 months of service I would get 100% of my salary for the first 6 months of maternity leave. My question is if, let's say, I conceive in Feb'22 (within the first 6 months) would I still be eligible for full maternity pay?

That’s really decent mat pay compared to mine! For me to get my full entitlement it was something like I had to have a number of months service by the time I was 22 weeks rather than by the due date. Is there any more info in the policy?

That sounds like you'd get it as long as your maternity leave starts after six months service so yeah, you should be fine - as long as baby's born at full term

Is that exactly how it's worded.

Usually, you have to have put in some service before getting it.

At a guess I would say you have to have worked 52 weeks by the time you are 26 weeks pregnant. That's just based o my experience with the companies I and my friends have worked for.

But it could be just a really good employer and give you it sooner.

It completely depends how it's worded in your contract.
I work for a County Council and we get full pay for 12 months as long as we pass probation and conceive after our official start date.

It seems a strange policy, it’s usually that you have to have been working there 6 months ish before you conceive not before you take mat leave or due date.

I work in HR to advise you I would need to see the specific wording. I could be that you need to have been there for 6 months before a certain point in the pregnancy or for 6 months before conception! But I am very glad to see a company supporting maternity leave so well!

Thanks all for you answers. Much appreciated

I've gone through my contract as well and there's nothing on it. It could be that on my actual joining date they will give employee handbook with more details on it (that wording is from benefits summary).

I was trying to conceive all the time since I decided to leave my current job and throughout notice period. Simply because I don't want to put my life on hold and conceiving might take forever (had MC in Mar so at least know I am capable of conceiving). So I don't feel like I'm doing something wrong ethically other than just getting on with my life.

I suppose there is also an argument how would it impact my career if I went on maternity leave within 1 year of joining.

If I was not eligible for fully paid maternity leave then I would probably have to get back to work after 3 months (I'm the main bread winner). It's not the end of the world but 6 months would obviously be better.

Its likey that you will need to take time off before the birth. So, you would need to save a lot of annual leave to make sure you had a decent amount of time off, after the birth

You accrue holiday whilst on leave. But obviously, that's only a quarter of a year annual leave, if you are taking 3 months off. So try not to take too much before yiu go on leave.

However, personally, I wouldn't view waiting as putting my life on hold. I would view it as waiting a little bit longer so that you can have the maximum benefit taht you are entitled to.

Not saying you are wrong. Just saying, I would prefer to wait and get more time off and those benefits.

@Kbish1 - thanks for your opinion. I fully understand and appreciate this. At my previous job the conditions to get the benefit was exactly as per your earlier post.

I suppose my reluctance to delay trying to conceive is coming from the fact that I'm worried it's not going to happen again naturally (there's nothing to prove that so it might be just me getting worried. I didn't go to fertility specialist but went to see private gynaecologist few times). I'm 35 as well, partner will be 46. So I don't think time is on my side..

I might wait till I get employee book upon starting and try to talk to a friend of mine who is working in HR law. She should be in a position to confirm when I'm entitled to the benefit.

I have savings and it wouldn't be the end of the world but there's plenty of other ways to spend those savings (house improvements, new car, holidays, etc etc..)