16 weeks pregnant, recently unemployed, skint and stressed! Please help me

[Lilimum2be]

Hey everyone, it's been ages since I last posted and a lot has happened since my mc in July! I'm now preg again going well! I got my job in November (senior carer, care home) and since I started I began to feel bullied by management and other staff. I'm a tough cookie and just let it slide until recently when nasty notes were being left for me by management for everyone to see... I began dreading work and the load they were putting on me with full knowledge of my pregnancy. On sat last week I recieved a long letter telling me I'm not pulling my weight I'm refusing to help staff n if I dnt improve she will have to let me go!!! I was livid! Not only that but the cook and another carer called in sick...I was short staffed again! I approached my manager that day to talk about the letters that had been left for me and she said she was too tired and il have to wait until Monday! I did the 12hr shift, called in sick and handed in my notice! Now I have no job, my fiancé is looking for work and I have no idea what to do!!! There is no way I could stay at the job it was hell!!!! Help me! What am I entitled to? What would you do? XxxxxX

I'd go for constructive dismissal. It means you felt you had no choice but to quit work, purely at how they were unfairly treating you.
Call your local citizens advice and they will advise you more! Hope this helps xxx

I would put your energy into finding some temporary work until the baby comes along. Sign on with as many agencies specialising in your line of work in your area as you can. You should qualify for statutory maternity pay from the government.

Go for constructive dismissal definitely. Sounds awful.

Unfortunately you can't go for constructive dismissal if you were only employed in November. Until you have been employed by the same employer for 12 months you have surprisingly few rights. Sorry to be the one to bring you bad news on that front. You'd need to see a solicitors to see if you have a case under any other discrimination rules but I suspect you may struggle.

Were you employed somewhere else before that? If you have worked for 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your due date you would be entitled for Maternity Allowance. If you are just short of that, getting a few weeks work in will make you eligible - even if its temporary work with a different employer(s). You can claim from 26 weeks pregnant.

You won't qualify for SMP because you won't have been employed by the same employer for long enough now (You have to work for them for 26 weeks before your qualifying date). Maternity Allowance is the only maternity related benefit you may qualify for at this stage.

Otherwise you need to look at other benefits. Although you quit your job, if you describe the circumstances you should still be eligible for benefits.

You should be eligible for Maternity Allowance, as mentioned by other posters, it's £136 something per week OR 90% of your average weekly wage over the past 66 weeks, whichever is lower. They pay it for 39 weeks and you can start getting it 11 weeks before your due date if you want (but you can't be working at all when you start getting it or during the time you receive it). You have to be past 26 weeks pregnant to apply and will need the MatB1 form from your midwife and the Maternity Allowance form from here
www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance

In the meantime I would also look into constructive dismissal - as your workplace sounds really awful!

It's a scary place to be - I am living off barely anything until my MA starts in April so I know how you feel - but it is doable!

Just to clarify what moobaloo said, it's £136 p/w or 90% of the average of your highest paid 13 weeks (not necessarily consecutive) in the past 66 weeks. But you do have to have worked for 26 of those 66.

(As far as I recall.)

Thanks so much for all your help and advice ladies, I will speak with the job centre and see what they say as well as citizens advice. xXx