On NHS Mat leave not eligible for pay point increase

[KP19952024]

In July this year I reached the top pay point for band 3 , but my salary has not been reflecting the increase and I've been trying to get it sorted since then. I'm now being told by the Pay Progression team that since I'm on maternity leave, and my payments are based on my earnings prior to maternity leave
my new pay point isn't effective until I return.

Has anybody else been in a similar situation ?

Sounds about right.

www.bma.org.uk/pay-and-contracts/maternity-paternity-and-adoption/finance/maternity-leave-pay-entitlements-under-the-nhs-scheme

That sounds correct to me

The link above is for Doctors. OP is on NHS terms and conditions and this applies I believe. OP you need to speak to HR or your line manager.

46. If an individual is on long-term paid absence such as maternity, adoption and shared parental leave and a pay step review cannot be conducted prior to the pay step date, the pay step point should be automatically applied in the individual’s absence, subject to paragraph 44.

https://www.nhsemployers.org/publications/tchandbook

Unfortunately this is correct. Maternity pay is based on your average weekly earnings for the eight weeks prior to and including the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth. Which is a very odd way of saying, between weeks 17-25 of your pregnancy.

So if you did lots of unsocial hours etc during that time you'll get more maternity leave than if you're on basic pay. But sadly this does mean that if your pay point comes after this time, it will not count.

And this

in the event of a pay award or move to a higher pay point being implemented during the paid maternity leave period, the maternity pay due from the date of the pay award or new pay point should be increased accordingly. If such a pay award was agreed retrospectively the maternity pay should be re-calculated on the same basis;

So your pay is based on those weeks it’s why people do overtime.

tour pay point will go through for the correct date you achieved if and you will return to this but you are not eligibile for that pay currently

Your SMP should be recalculated, this guidance page explains it well: https://www.cipp.org.uk/resources/news/smp-alabaster-recalculations.html#:~:text=The%20Alabaster%20ruling%20is%20something,of%20the%20woman's%20statutory%20maternity

Sounds like discrimination on the basis of your being pregnant which I thought was a protected characteristic.