Anyone going back to work after maternity leave pregnant

[Alexchallex]

How are you feeling about it? How did work react? (Mega worried)

Hi I'm watching this with interest as I'm 11 weeks pregnant with a 6 month old baby. I'll be returning to work in June and I'll only be there for a month or so before going off again. I haven't told work yet but I will I've had my first scan and I'm really dreading it. They're going to love me!

I have written a letter...... The cowards way. We can't be the only people....

Insomnia: can you be back at work for weeks 17-25 to maximise SMP?

Its happened twice at work. First time noone batted an eyelid. When the same girl came back again pregnant, it did cause some resentment, and comments of working the system (we get nice OMP), but from those covering her work, not at a managerial level.

Yes back just after first scan so that's all sorted.

my work were fine about it (but then we get only the statutory minimum. I felt (feel) guilty though, as I was a new starter when I got pregnant the first time around.

but what can they do? these things happen.

I went back to work after DD1 and found out I was expecting DD1 within the month.

My boss was lovely, he didn't even flinch

I work for the government though and they are very family friendly (generally) so I wasn't too worried.

DD2 not DD1 obviously, otherwise I would have been living in a time slip

addictedtosugar - don't you just have to be employed during weeks 17-25 to qualify for SMP? Which I will be, even though not physically in the office! I'm panicking now

This happened to a friend of mine twice, they were ok the first time and hostile the second. What can they do tho? its life and your life! If they give you any grief, give them a little smirk as you walk away!!

addictedtosugar - I decided not be be lazy and to google it myself;

www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/eligibility

It says that you need 26 weeks of continuous employment before you qualify for SMP but maternity leave doesn't constitute a break in employement so as I understand it that means I don't actually have to go back at all to qualify. I imagine if your work gives a maternity package that is better than the basic statutory one then they might put in a contractual obligation to come back for a certain amount of time or else pay it back but I just get the minimum. Does that sound right?!

I love the idea of sending a letter but knowing my boss I don't think that would go down so well.

I had SPD in my last pregnancy brought on by overdoing it at work as my job is very active so the way I see it, at least they get to avoid all the hassle of making allowances for me again and having a member of staff not functioning at 100% for 8 months. Hopefully they will also be able to keep on the member of staff that they have recruited to cover my position for the next pregnancy.

Thats how I'm justifying it in my head anyway!

I think that the raised eyebrows will most likely come from other staff members and not management as I expect they will be very professional about it all.

Fingers crossed for everyone

I guess it depends on how they calculate earnings for SMP - so if your only earning SMP at that point, will your 90% period be at 90% of 135, or 90% of normal earnings?

Thats a good point I hadn't thought about that, I'll be going back part time when I was previously worked full time anyway so my SMP will be less than this time round but its something to govon my list to ask HR thank you

90% actual earnings is what the qualifying weeks look at - so playing the game the earliest I would want to time it would be for these to be back on full pay using up accrued leave at the end of maternity leave rather than the unpaid part!

It'll be the 90% of what you're actually paid so ideally you want to work those two months or so before going off again. You also need to meet the criteria so be earning over the NI threshold in that period.

I've just found out I'm pg with dc2. Ds1 is 8m so will be 17m when dc2 comes along.
I go back to work May and will prob finish end of sept. Work won't be happy but I don't really care! Thru have messed me around loads and refused me going back part time.
I'm very very early so not sure when in going to tell them. I wish I could let them know now so the girl covering my area could be extended for a bit more but def going to wait till after 12 weeks, maybe more.

Spoke to work the other day. Very professional about it actually. I suppose if colleagues have families they can hardly judge

As the ex-manager of a girl who did this, it was fine actually. She was back for about 10 weeks before leaving again. I just continued her maternity cover and gave her a stand alone project to work on. But, I also work for the government too and my agency is very family huggy friendly. And my otherwise stern and serious boss adores babies!

I went back to work in December when ds1 was 8 months old and I was 20 weeks preg with ds2, I told them at 18 weeks and they were fine, I think big companies know they have to tread carefully from a HR point of view. I finish in less than 2 weeks so really haven't been back long but it's just one of those things! My qualifying months for pay for them to work out mat pay again were November (I was still on SMP and had done kit days) and December (I started back) so I will qualify for mat pay and SMP again.