Does being on mat leave count as "continuous employment"

[tinytops]

Hi all, after a bit of help deciphering my company maternity leave policy...enhanced pay (three months full/ three months half) kicks in if you have been employed continuously by the company for 52 weeks by the 15th week before the baby is due. By that date I will have been back at work for 34 ish weeks after my first mat leave...does this make me only eligible for statutory?

I'm sure maternity leave counts as continuous service. They're still your employer even though you aren't at work.

Yes it still counts as continuous employment x

Yes, your rights should not be affected.

Yes otherwise they would be discriminating against you for having a baby.

I'm pretty sure it counts as continuous employment because of the discrimination thing that firstcomeslove has said, however someone I work with had two children in quick succession and wasn't eligible for the same pay the second time around partly because of the length of time she'd been back for. However she'd only been back for a very short period of time. Can you ask your HR department to clarify for you?

Yes it's continuous service but many employers state a minimum time between mat leaves. Should be written in the policy if so.