Employer dropping my hours to get out of paying me maternity pay?

[charl2503]

I have worked for my current employer for 5 months. It is safe to say that they are not the fairest company in the world to work for. I have been working for them 32 hours per week. A few weeks ago they basically told me that they had to drop my hours down to 16 per week due to the company having financial difficulties. They told me that everyones hours would be cut after christmas. They said that once everything goes back to normal they will be happy to take my hours back up to 32. However, I have found out today that no one elses hours have been cut, only mine. Also, they are taking on new employees. I asked today if I could take my hours back up to 32 and they declined. I am 18 weeks pregnant. On 2 days per week I earn about £90 per week.
I think that they have dropped my hours so that they do not have to pay me maternity. I am disgusted and don't know where I stand or what I should do?

Blatant discrimination and you should seek advice. Are you a member of a trade union?

However, you should be able to claim maternity allowance rather than receive statutory maternity pay which may well be the same amount anyway. Check www.direct.gov.uk for details.

Hmmm think the less than 12 month employment might be relevant too. What sector do you work in?

helpful links:

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/index.htm

www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/viewsubsection.php?sun=52

You need to seek legal advice. The company has been completely and utterly unreasonable.

They could have a law suit on their hands.

Post this in employment issues, you'll get some good responses from MNers with tonnes of HR experience.

However, IIRC, you should still get SMP no matter how many hours you do. This is paid via your employer - they claim most of it back from the government. You have to have been working there for 26 weeks, 15 weeks before you are due (so 41 weeks before you are due, I've never made that connection before).

As I said, I'm not an expert but there are some very knowledgable bods in Employment Issues.

Hope you get it sorted, it sounds like a wonderful place to work