Advice - furlough - maternity leave

[jenjen99]

Hi,
I'm struggling financially. I'm 7 months into maternity leave. I was hoping to get a 2nd job to top up my SMP, but understand this would remove my entitlement to SMP. My colleagues are currently furloughed on 100%. I've been led to believe that furlough can be used in many situations to keep the economy ticking over. For instance being asked to be reemployed by a recent employer so they can obtain furlough payments for you. So I was hoping I wouldn't be too cheeky asking my current employer to end my maternity leave early and furlough me on 80%. They said they would BUT as all other employees are on 100% it would be seen as discrimination for me to be on 80 and they won't pay me 100% as this would cost them. I understand this. I've offered to repay the equivalent 20% in over time or holiday, even cash. Even more annoyingly my colleagues can go and get 2nd jobs whilst on furlough, which I would love to do. Is there a loop hole anywhere? Also, if maternity leave is extended by 3 months, as per petition, will employers be asked to continue top up payments? I get £10/w. It's not much but every little helps. My employers are currently claiming furlough for my top up pay so it wouldn't seem unreasonable to expect them to continue top up pay at 8/w for the 3 extended months. If anyone has any money making ideas let me know. I'm a hard worker and will do almost anything!

So what was your plan, pre covid, for the last few months of maternity leave? If you're struggling financially on mat leave it's not because of covid. You could give notice to return early and hope you would then be furloughed but it's possible you would actually have to return to work depending in what the next set of measures are.

There is absolutely no way the government will be giving you three months more paid leave, so I wouldn't waste any thoughts on the what ifs around that.

What would you be doing if this were normal times? You are in the same financial situation you would have been at this point.

If you are really stuck for cash, you could give notice to end your maternity leave early (or better, to curtail your maternity leave and go on to shared parental leave if you qualify - that way, you might be able to take some of it before your baby turns one, rather than losing it entirely) - you have to give 8 weeks notice of your return (your employer could accept less notice, but it doesn't sound like they will). At that point, if they have no work for you to do and have to pay 100% of your salary they may decide to furlough you (although that is assuming the furlough scheme still exists by then - it is due to end at the end of June and we don't know what it will look like - depending which industry you are in it just might continue a little longer, or the % of wages may go down). Of course, they may decide to make you work anyway - which is why it is worth looking at shared parental leave which would give you the option of going off again.

I'm struggling financially for many reasons. Covid hasn't helped. Weve also recently lost my sister-in-law, not covid related, who was going to help with childcare when I returned to work. Now I'm going to have to pay for child care I'm panicking. If I can save a bit before hand that would help. My employer wants 8 weeks notice, non negotiable, which coincides with the end of the furlough scheme so I would not benefit unless they reduce the 8 weeks. But they won't as they'll incur 20 % cost

But if you're struggling you need to return to work anyway so give the 8 weeks notice. Nobody knows yet what the furlough scheme will look like then.

Okay. I'll do that in the morning. I should have ended it months ago really. Thanks