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Conception

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Financial planning, TTC and new jobs..

3 replies

BatildaB · 10/01/2023 17:04

I have a complicated work situation and am struggling to work out how maternity pay and leave would fit… I currently do very part time consultancy work alongside another job. My main job will come to an end later this year, but before that I will be picking up more hours for the company I do consulting for - they’ve verbally agreed this could be going onto payroll, would still be part time. Once my main current job ends I will be able to extend my hours further with the other/new role. My current job is poorly paid, the new one is more than twice as much, and current one would be ending before any possible due date at this point.

SO… am I right in thinking that starting TTC a month after going onto payroll for the second job would mean that I qualify for stat mat pay with them? Even if it was very low hours that would then be increasing? I don’t want to screw them over, and would actually want to be back to work PT from quite early on as it’s an interesting role that I could do WFH a couple of hours a day. It seems like it could look really cheeky though. It’s a small company, I like the people and don’t want them to think I’m messing them about or taking advantage. OTOH both me and my partner have been in low paid jobs up till now, don’t have savings and don’t have any help from family, so I care more about being able to provide a secure home to potential baby than creating a slightly awkward situation in a new job.

OP posts:
rambunctiousrapscallion · 10/01/2023 21:50

Just lending solidarity. I'm in a similar position in that, career-wise, I'm ready to move on. My job is at a natural transitional point and I've now got skills and qualifications to make a jump. However, I don't want to put off having another baby for years while I bed into the second role.

My take is that I know I'm good at what I do and I will be an asset to the new company. Yes it's not the most convenient for me to leave soonish into the role but maternity leave is a right, vital to society as a whole and part of the cost of doing business. I could equally get ill and need sick leave or something, it's part and parcel of running a business. In return I will do everything I can to minimize disruption for them. Also, TTC is a tricky business and may not happen on the timescales I want or at all.

In terms of qualifying for maternity pay with them, businesses calculate it on the 8 weeks before the qualifying week which is 15 weeks before the baby is due. So whatever your pay is during those weeks is what will be used to calculate your maternity pay. So try and get as many hours as possible during the qualifying period.

Floralsandsmiles · 10/01/2023 21:56

Similar situation for me. Recently moved Jobs. Want to TTC, they only have SMP annoyingly bit want to wait to TTC until 6 month probation is up. So if I then fell pregnant, they knew my work ethic already and would be less dissatisfied as when I say I'm coming back full time, they know I intend to. Don't want to screw anyone over. In the mean time, I'm having to save the difference to add to SMP. This is annoying..

BatildaB · 10/01/2023 23:07

@rambunctiousrapscallion ah I had read before but not really taken on board that it’s not the two months before you stop working but two months much earlier in the process! Ok hmm. I might have to take on more hours than planned sooner than planned and hope I don’t get so stressed it affects my hormones! On the other hand that means I would be able to save more as well. God it’s hard to plan isn’t it!

@Floralsandsmiles That sounds like a good plan. I’m already leaving this quite late so I can’t bear to leave it any longer!

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