Maternity pay and notice period

[alessandra27]

Hi everyone,

In a bit of a quandary about the best way to go about things with regards to maternity leave and was hoping for a bit of advice.

So I’m a teacher and am due March. I’m scheduled to go on maternity leave February half term HOWEVER we have recently sold our flat and are have bought in a new area 2 hours away so although work don’t know yet, I won’t be returning after maternity.

We are due to be moved out of our flat by Christmas but can’t move into the new house until end of February so if I don’t leave work until February half term, we’ll have to stay in a cheap hotel which we can’t really afford, even if it meant keeping my pay. I considered handing in notice this October ready to leave by Christmas, but as this is before the 15th week before my due date, I would then be eligible for SMP.

So now I’m trying to decide which option to choose:

A. Hand in my notice at the 15 week point before due date so that I’m still eligible for SMP and then start maternity leave early in January - I prefer the idea of this as I can say goodbye to the school etc but can I hand in my notice period and then take maternity leave during my notice period? Do I have to work during my notice period? I’m scared that doing this will affect my SMP in some way or won’t be permitted.

B. Start my maternity leave early in January without handing in my notice and wait until I’m well into my maternity to tell give my resignation - a safer option to not jeopardise my SMP but there’s no good reason to start maternity so early so I know they’ll ask me difficult questions and I’ll have to lie about moving/quitting

I just don’t know what to do - it’s a small school so I just don’t feel comfortable lying to my colleagues and can’t figure out how to do the right thing while not sabotaging myself with SMP.

Sorry for the garbled nature of this and thanks in advance!

B. You are concerned about covid, and want to protect your pregnancy in the third trimester.

@InTheLongGrass

B. You are concerned about covid, and want to protect your pregnancy in the third trimester.

This is a really great idea and I think the best option. Thank you!

OP I thought most employers were encouraged to let pregnant staff work from home from 28 weeks??

@snowone

OP I thought most employers were encouraged to let pregnant staff work from home from 28 weeks??

Employers are encouraged to have staff WFH from the 3rd trimester where possible - not so possible when teaching, so many head teachers are arguing that the workplace is as covid secure as can be... we've had several cases so not sure that's true! This will form part of my Argument!

I'd maybe run this past your union, not because it's contentious it's just they may have seen similar in the past (as in, want to leave but needing to time resignation right). If you don't intend on taking the enhanced contractual maternity pay because you won't be returning for the 13 weeks needed to pay it back, you will have to let someone at work know otherwise they will just pay it to you, I think. That may not be an issue for you but just something else to bear in mind in the weird and wonderful world of burgundy book T&C's!

I'm part of SLT in a school, we are encouraging working from home where possible with all our staff. I know it's not easy but it is do-able,
If you were in a burst bubble you would have to work from home 🤷🏼‍♀️ are you primary or secondary? How many cases have you had??

*pregnant staff 🙈

@alessandra27

Employers are encouraged to have staff WFH from the 3rd trimester where possible - not so possible when teaching, so many head teachers are arguing that the workplace is as covid secure as can be... we've had several cases so not sure that's true! This will form part of my Argument!

How on earth does a teacher work from home...my friend is a teacher and she is utterly frustrated with every colleague from teachers to admin staff who are either pregnant or have relatively minor conditions claiming they can all work from home. Utterly laughable and the teachers can't answer the basic question as to how the children get taught then without bringing in cover staff that are increasingly hard to source

Can't you get a medium term Air B&B...I'm sure someone would be really happy to do you a deal over winter for 2 months

OP you really should be working from home after 28 weeks. I'm also due in March and a secondary school teacher- my school has hired my mat cover person to start after Christmas so I'm going to be doing admin work from home. Their back up plan if they couldn't hire someone was to put a cover teacher in my lessons and for me to teach virtually. Yes it's hard, but it's perfectly doable.

My consultant made it very very clear to me- it's not safe for pregnant women in their third trimester to be working in schools, full stop.