So angry! How unfair is this !!!

[SilverFox90]

So I went on maternity in March and only receive statutory maternity pay, so £600pm.
Now the government have decided that anyone who went on maternity on or after 25th April can be furloughed and receive 80% of their normal wage !

How is that fair. I’m here struggling and others will be receiving 80% of their normal pay ! 😡

Anyone else in the same position or think that this is wrong ?
Okay, good for those who are lucky enough to be receiving it but why give one without the other.

There has to be a cut off, you are still getting paid, unlike a lot of people who had the misfortune to change jobs in March

Sorry OP, I'm struggling to sympathise because I'm currently earning sweet fuck all after I had to shut my beauty business temporarily.

That said, I appreciate that it's frustrating. But you would only be getting SMP anyway from your employer. Sorry.

@SunnyStroll above is correct. You'd only get 80% of pay if you end your maternity leave and "return to work" to be furloughed. A risky bet as the furlough could end at any point and you couldn't then choose to go back on mat leave

Think of the situation when you buy a pricy item and the next week the store holds a sale and reduces it by a substantial amount to make room for more new stock. Its annoying but the store didnt hold the sale to annoy you. It just happened. There is no one "up there" handing out fairness.

Can you stop your maternity leave and go straight on to furlough?

I suppose that if you did that you would need to be prepared to actually return to work once lockdown is over.

So you are no worse off than you would otherwise have been on ml?

As above. If you were able to take the furlough option you'd have to go back to work when the rest of the staff do. Which could be at any time.

You've got what you expected to get, stop being jealous.

Surely you're in no worse position than you planned for? It might be annoying but others have fell on much worse hardships. Comparison is the thief of joy.

i don’t imagine you were particularly well paid if your employer puts you straight on SMP! Most half decently well paid job provides something above SMP for a period

This is completely inaccurate. I know alot of companies that pay well yet only pay SMP

You're no worse off than you expected to be.

To be angry because you're not profiting from a global pandemic is pretty self centred.

You have a lovely new baby on the money you expected to have, and budgeted for anyway, congratulations.

So you’d be happy to return to work in May/June then if your work reopens then?
If not why not? As that’s furloughed.

Stop acting jealous, furloughed isn’t as great as people are making out , some of us are really struggling.

You're angry because you are getting exactly what you expected to get?

Tbh I find it hard to have much sympathy when so many have no income or much less than they need or have died.

i don’t imagine you were particularly well paid if your employer puts you straight on SMP! Most half decently well paid job provides something above SMP for a period

Well that’s not necessarily the case. When I went on maternity leave (admittedly that “baby” is now 22) I was a higher rate taxpayer but pregnancy was frowned on by my company and they only paid SMP. I was the first woman in my particular branch to work during pregnancy and they struggled to cope with the fact that I was entitled to paid time for appointments etc. I think there are still quite a few companies that only pay SMP.

It's not in any way "unfair".

If you were furloughed you would need to be available at immediate notice to resume your role if required. Which presumably you'd not want to do?

I can't imagine being so self-absorbed as to be moaning that my maternity rights were being upheld, including a degree of protection from redundancy, when those on furlough might well still lose their jobs.

It's just one of those things and life isn't fair. I suppose if they'd chosen another date someone else would be on here saying it wasn't fair.
At least you aren't in ICU, and you are getting the amount you thought you'd get, why so greedy?

Life's not fair. You have a beautiful, healthy baby. YABVU

Congratulations on your baby.

You could always forgo your maternity and return to work.

God some of the replies on here! I think anyone would prefer to have 80% of wages rather than £600 a month.

Op I would feel the exact same, it is frustrating when the only difference is due date. But will the ones taking furlough be able to have full maternity leave?

You’re on maternity leave, you’re not furloughed. Presumably you want all the rights that come with being on maternity leave? Or are you ready to go back to work in which case you would then be as eligible as your colleagues for furlough.

I don’t understand your complaint?

I’m on SMP
I’ve only just gone onto it as waiting for baby to arrive

I don’t mind being on SMP. I feel more confident that il have a job than if I was furloughed

You're wrong! This is not the case. If you want to be furloughed you need to give notice to end your maternity leave. I believe this is three months, but do correct me if I'm wrong. You will then be obliged tk work from home and if the furlough scheme has then ended by the time you're due to return then you'll have to go back to work. This, as far as I know, applies to anyone regardless of date. Please show me the evidence and correct me if I'm wrong.

@lumene your self employed friend may be entitled to maternity allowance if she is self employed. If you have been paying tax then you will be eligible to minimum £60 a week!

I thought you were still only entitled to your occupational or statutory mat pay. I don't think people on mat leave are getting 80% of their normal salary are they?

maternityaction.org.uk/covidmaternityfaqs/furlough/

No @HollyBollyBooBoo they're not unless they request to end mat leave early and if they do that they have to work from home and will also have to go back once the furlough ends. It's a ridiculous post and without any basis.