Maternity Pay

[G00ders1]

So,

DH and I have always had a plan of what we’d do if we ever had a child. I’d have a few months off work and then would return, he would then have the rest of my maternity as part of the whole Shared Parental Leave thing.

Anyway, we’re now 7 weeks pregnant. DH works for O2 as a manager, I’m a primary school teacher. For my maternity leave I get 4 weeks full pay, 2 weeks at 90%, then 12 weeks half pay plus SMP, then it drops to just SMP.
In O2, women are paid for 3 months, and then it goes straight to SMP.
So, if I got back to work after 3 months we will lose out financially because DH would go straight to SMP.

I am so, so cross about this. Firstly, why isn’t there a standard amount of maternity that needs to be paid for a certain amount of time by companies? How is this supposed to encourage anybody to actually have children? How can companies be so different to each other?
Secondly, I’m cross because I feel like I’ve had a decision made for me. Obviously I will stay off work for 18 weeks, and then DH can have the rest of the leave as it would make no difference as we’d both be on SMP. But why can’t I do what I want to do? It took us ages to decide we were in the right place to have a child, and now I’m feeling that the terms of me having a child are being dictated to me.

Cross and ranting. Sorry 🙈🙄

Be grateful you get a good maternity package and have options. I work for a (heavily female dominated) multinational corporate company and will get the standard 6 weeks at 90% salary and then SMP.

But they’re not being dictated to you. You’re pissed off becuse you get good maternity pay? You can still do it the way you want it’s just less financially attractive.

🤔 I’m not annoyed that I get good maternity pay. More that it’s not the same for everyone - I don’t understand why? How is it fair @AnotherOriginalUsername doesn’t get the same conditions that I do?

The government sets the statutory minimum

It's up to the company on whether they will do more. I have never worked for a company that does.

It's not fair but that's life tbh :)

There is a standard amount , it is called SMP! Anything offered over and above is a bonus but often cones with strings attached.

You are pregnant op, not your dh.

I don't get what the issue is? All I get is SMP, you're lucky you get more!

Maternity pay is a benefit, same as sick pay and a good pension. Some people receive a higher wage and fewer benefits whilst for most public service workers it's the other way around.
Your only talking about a few weeks difference, you might have to go on early mat leave, you may have a difficult birth and need that long to recover. It really isn't worth getting annoyed about.

@TalkFastThinkSlow you’re clearly right. And I’m very lucky to work for a profession that gives better maternity packages to people (perhaps through unions? 🤷‍♀️)
I just think that DH and I spent so long thinking about actually having a child, that it never occurred to me that different companies would have different policies.

Like you say, it’s not fair but that’s life.

G00ders1 it's just the way it is. I get the government minimum but may have better benefits elsewhere than offered by your employer (pension scheme, annual leave, whatever. I probably don't, as they do the bare minimum, but you know what I mean).

Unfortunately/fortunately for me, me and my husband don't earn enough for there to be much discussion about when I return to work.

Get your DH to ask if he can have the maternity equivalent.

I've taken 8 months mat leave. 12wks full pay then SMP.

DH is taking 4 months SPL. His company pay women 4 months mat pay. He asked why he couldn't get the same. He was the first ever to ask (small company). They'd never thought about it. They immediately instigated a policy to equalise it.

I had to officially "end" my mat pay so he could start his SPL, but by that point I was on SMP anyway.

Win!

There is a standard minimum set by the government but you can't stop businesses from enhancing this at various rates. I appreciate it's frustrating that your employer enhances your pay for a longer period of time than your DH's when you'd prefer a different arrangement but it's like any benefit, it's varies between employers.

Could you go back after 6 weeks and then DH takes over? He would need to check that his company treats SPL in the same way as ML. They are not obliged to and will often pay more of an enhancement for Mat pay than shared parental pay.

Lots of benefits are different in different jobs. Some people will get full pay while off sick, others will only get SSP. Some get a good salary related pension scheme, others get the bare minimum. Some get more holidays than others. Just be grateful that you get good benefits!

@PotatoesPastaAndBread I shall get him to ask his HR department 👍 thanks xx

SMP is the standard amount. Most people just get that.
It sounds as if you are a very organised person... but unfortunately when you have a baby there is SO much that is out of your control. This is just one thing but there will be many, many more so you will need to learn to relax about things like this or you'll have a very stressful pregnancy, birth and parenthood!

No one is dictating terms to you. .. you have choices. The 5 weeks difference is not as much as you are imagining. Dare I say that you will need to get things in perspective. This is not something to get 'so so cross' about.

Wait til you find out about how different the salaries different companies offer are.

@ForgivenessIsDivine perhaps I am too cross, I tend to get cross quickly but then it disappears quite quickly too 🙈

@Jamhandprints I am a tiny bit of a control freak...relaxing is going to be something I’ll have to learn, as you say 😊

How is this supposed to encourage anybody to actually have children?

It’s not. Why would any company be encouraging anyone to have children?!

I was a teacher. I would have loved to qualify for the Occupational Maternity Pay - unfortunately I missed out on it because of changing jobs. And yes, for a while it felt a tiny bit unfair, especially as I had a really tough pregnancy and had to leave work at 27 weeks. But actually maternity pay (in my case Maternity allowance - which is just the flat rate of SMP for 39 weeks) is just free money for having a baby. The government is giving you money to do something you would have done anyway. You will also get child benefit on top if you are entitled to that. More free money. The vast majority of people only get SMP, you are getting a lot more. Try and focus on that.

Seriously! I get maternity allowance - £140.98 weekly. No 90% or half pay. And 3 months off because I risk losing my business if I don’t go back. Your deal doesn’t sound to bad!

I’d have a few months off work and then would return, he would then have the rest of my maternity as part of the whole Shared Parental Leave thing.

obviously I will stay off work for 18 weeks, and then DH can have the rest of the leave as it would make no difference as we’d both be on SMP. But why can’t I do what I want to do? It took us ages to decide we were in the right place to have a child, and now I’m feeling that the terms of me having a child are being dictated to me.

I'm genuinely confused by this - surely you are doing what you wanted to, ie few months off and then him on SPL?

I’d ask mumsnet to take this down as it is potentially identifying. Shared parental leave was never financially viable for us as I get a good package and my husband would just have got statutory. If you do 18 weeks, you’ll be already doing a relatively short stint.

I understand your disappointment but that's the way it goes. That's why I returned to work at 12 weeks - SMP didn't cover the mortgage and I'm in the fortunate position that my salary does, and the £1000+ a month nursery fees (don't forget to start looking at nurseries even if you aren't thinking about that yet - where you need to put your name down at the 12 week scan for some, and it's useful to get an idea of what sort of provisions there are around you re spaces, choice of days etc).

Congratulations !