Enhanced maternity pay - what are my rights?

[rageagainsttheBIL]

During my last mat leave I was given enhanced maternity pay, but it was at my manager's discretion and is not in my company's official mat policy which offers statutory only.

The manager offered it to me based on length of service.

I now work under a new manager in a different dept, but am I entitled to the same enhanced conditions again given I had them once already?

Just bumping in case anyone can help...

No. If it was clear it was discretionary rather than being the policy that means they are not committed to offering it to every member of staff or every time someone goes on maternity leave.

I would certainly ask for it, but not on the basis of being entitled to it.

Your only rights are to have Statutory - I find the idea of discretionary enhanced packages troublesome as it could be used in a discriminatory way so I hope there are safeguards to ensure the discretionary aspect is done fairly and equitably. I can also see the advantages though from the employers point of view, as the main reason for employers to offer enhanced maternity pay is to retain talent and experience and some employees are genuinely more talented than others so a greater enhancement would be appropriate.

Thanks - as I thought. I'm in a fairly senior role and plan to find out if colleagues who are currently on leave have received it as I can use that to strengthen my argument.

I only got it last time as I asked, it's completely arbitrary Fish ...