Civil service maternity pay

[Newbie456]

I would like to start a family next year but am considering whether to move jobs. I have no guarantee of occupational maternity pay where I am, due to it being a start up, and I have worked in the public sector most of my career so this is a little alien to me. I’ve got an interview with the civil service which I believe has excellent maternity pay. I’m just wondering if anyone could tell me what the rules are on how long you have to have worked there before you’re entitled to occupational maternity pay and what this means in terms of how long I need to wait before trying. I think this may differ per department but I’m just trying to get a gauge on future plans and finances. Any help would be really appreciated

I believe it's a year, although i'd been in the job 15+ years before having my 1st! It's definitely a year 'between' maternity leaves, as i was paranoid about getting pregnant again while off and not getting any money the 2nd time around!

It varies by department, as do all T&Cs, but at mine I think it’s also a year before you qualify for occupational maternity pay (6m full pay, 3m statutory maternity).

It's a year. I joined them in September many years ago and found out I was pregnant the following Feb - went on maternity literally 2 weeks after my year anniversary with them and got my 6 months full pay and 3 months SMP. If you want to return on part time hours bear in mind for the first 4 weeks back you have to work full time or use annual leave to break it up though, else you have to repay some of your mat pay.

Its a year, you get a year off as well & I think you only have to return for 3 months part time if you want to resign & not pay your maternity pay back. The civil service gets moaned at a lot but I always found them a very family friendly employer, I worked 18 hour over 3 days when I returned from maternity leave & 38 weeks a year 18 hours over 3 days when ds started school, very generous paid care leave as well.

Thanks for your replies. Is it a year by a certain qualifying week or a year before you can actually fall pregnant? I know some say 52 weeks service by x number of weeks before expected birth week. I have heard good things about them being family friendly employers

No qualifying period in the bit I work in, as long as you fit the criteria for SMP you'll get OMP too of 6 months full pay. I know of one NDPB with no criteria so you could literally start at 38 weeks pregnant then go on mat leave immediately and get 6 months full pay.

Good luck. It would be worth holding off a few extra months Ttc for the maternity pay and flexible working/working from home that would make your life a lot easier in the long term with kid’s.

I think it's a year by your qualifying week which is 20 weeks (I think) but don't hold me to it. I find these rules very confusing. Also 6 months full and 3 months stat and can take up to a year if you like. You can also go back part time/compressed hours/work from home etc and can take up to a 5 year unpaid career break if you want.

I'm just about to go on maternity leave and in my department, I had to have to have a years service from the date I start my leave to get full occupational pay.

"52 weeks immediately preceding the 15th week before the week your baby is due" is what mine says.

I always found the civil service incredibly flexible to work for so great when you have smallish kids.

Worth saying that I was in a different department when I actually went on mat leave though and I think theirs was less than that, so it definitely varies across the CS.