pregnancy and work...

[ghostspirit]

hi im a bit confused about my rights on how long i can take of work. is it 39 weeks or 52? and do i get paid for it. i dont get paid much money a week think i get about 85 pounds. so i think im entitled to money that the govenment pays out rather that the employer. i think that might only be for 39 weeks and not 52?

also when do i need to let my employer know when i want to start my leave?

I'm pretty sure you are entitled to up to 52 weeks of leave, and it doesn't matter how much you get paid, you are still able to walk back into your job as if you'd never left after 52 weeks. However you will not get paid for all of it, which might be where you're getting the 39 weeks from. I'm not sure how it works with maternity allowance as I will be paid maternity pay by work, but for me it's only full pay for 2 months, half pay for the next 4 months and statutary pay only for the 3 months after that, the final 3 months is compleatly unpaid.
With my work I have to notify HR no less than 11 weeks before I want to start my leave.
But if you have a decent HR department at work they should be able to talk you through all this. If not see the gov.co.uk website for the law on it.
Best of luck with it all.

I would check that as I think the first 26 weeks are classified differently and you do have the right to walk back into your old job, for the rest of the 52 weeks they have to try and find you something similar but not give your old job back? there are lots of good web forums on this. If you have a decent work place should be ok either way.

They have to keep a job for you for 52 weeks (but as htf2 said it might be a different position but same conditions ie not say you have to move to a different county or take a pay cut or become a skilled pianist!).
The government website will give you the details for maternity allowance.
For me it is 3 months full, 3 months half then unpaid. I might have to go back after 6 months.

haha im even more confused now :(

The reality is that no one on here can tell you exactly what you're entitled to, it's going to depend on your contract.

If you get stat mat pay from government and nothing from your job then you get it for first 39 weeks ( when stop work, not when baby is born!!) and if you wish to be off for up to 52 weeks you can be but will only get child benefit and no maternity pay.

thank you silver so in my case i get the 39 weeks paid so i will tell employer im taking the 39 weeks of. thank you :) :)

Think it works out about 9 months. I worked until 37/8 weeks so had as much time off with with baby. If you have annual leave then many jobs ( not mine, sob!) give you the accrued holiday paid. S if you get 4 weeks holiday a year and are on maternity leave for say 3/4 of a year you should get 3 weeks paid holiday for that time - many people add it onto maternity leave so have longer off paid!! And use up annual leave before go on maternity leave, eg stop work at say 36 weeks and have some weeks on holiday before baby comes. All helps.

yeah i dont get holiday as such as i work term time only. and yeah thats my plan to work till im 38/39 weeks so i can have as much time of as possible with baby.

im only 21 weeks and struggle at work already. manager said shes not sure if i will manage up to 39 weeks if im struggling already