SMP question

[ssd]

My friend is due in Jan 06, she works in retail and has been with the same employer full time for 7 years. She's been told she'll have to pay back her SMP if she doesn't return to work after the baby. I think that's wrong. Does anyone know? She wouldn't get any special leave/extra pay as retail ain't like that it's the governments SMP and no more.

AFAIK, she will only have to pay back anything over and above SMP that her employer pays her (if anything). You don't pay back statutory maternity payments.

definitely won't have to pay back SMP. she'll also be entitled to further 6 mths unpaid mat leave if she wants.
check out www.tiger.gov.uk for further info.

The only thing with unpaid materneity leave (or maternity absence, as I think it is called) is that the employer only has to commit to giving yoy back an equivalent job - unlike ordinary (paid) maternity leave, where you are supposed to get your old job back.