Any teachers out there? Occupational maternity pay, qualifying weeks and being off sick query

[AltCarbon]

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone knew how occupational maternity pay was worked out and what weeks they use to work out your payments.

I am a teacher and having checked all the policies I definitely qualify for the occupational maternity pay but I don't know (and it doesn't say) what weeks they use to work out your salary or if being signed off sick affects it. I am currently 15 weeks pregnant and have been signed off with a DVT since week 11. I was also signed off for two weeks at weeks 8/9 with hyperemesis and had a patchy return before the DVT.

Was really just wondering if anyone knew how this will affect the OMP or if I need to try to return to work at a certain week (if possible) to stop it affecting it.

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask (and for a long post) but having read numerous policy documents without finding a clear answer I thought I'd be cheeky and ask for mumsnet's help.

Thank you

I think it's called the brook book? That's where I have read up about my pay... Though I don't know about sickness and how it affects!

I'm not sure if different local authorities work their maternity pay differently? I also need to find out my entitlements sooner rather than later. One thing I'm pretty sure off is that if your sick leaves then overrun into mat leave then mat leave may be calculated from sometime during when you were last sick.
Also trying to decide when to work until. Would love to see out the rest of the year with my class - they're lovely but my due date is 1 day before end of term! Don't want to traumatise any kiddies by popping during storytime!

I am not sure what you mean by occupational pay. It is not called that at my school. HR will be able be able to answer your questions and give you a projected pay schedule.

Thanks for the responses.

By occupational pay I mean the additional pay from the school that tops up SMP and gives you full-pay/half-pay for a number of weeks during your maternity leave.

The burgundy book gives you the details of what you get as a % of your salary but not which weeks they use to establish your salary or if sick pay affects it.

I'm a teacher but have no idea. If I had guess i'd say you just need to go back for a day before commencing maternity leave. I think it's a percentage of your salary rather than previous month's pay etc. Do ask hr though. Good luck!

Check with your school but I don't think being sick affects your mat pay as its done on your salary. If you get an answer let me know, I've had a few days off but don't want to be docked money!! I do know that if your sick 4 weeks before your due they can start mat leave early!

First day back today for me and I can defo say that I'm ready for mat now haha!! Only 12 more weeks and then I'm off :-) will be 38 weeks so I'm probs pushing my luck!

We use burgundy book. Google that one :)

Hi Alt - I know you from the other thread :)

All teacher's maternity pay is based on the burgundy book. I spoke to my business manager and this is how it works.....

Basically its 4 weeks at 100%, 2 weeks at 90%, 12 weeks at 50% + SMP lower rate, 21 weeks at SMP lower rate only = 39 weeks in total with some pay. After that you are entitled to take a further 13 weeks (to make 52 total weeks leave) but the final 13 would be unpaid.

I hope that helps!

I think all maternity pay, no matter what profession, is calculated on the paydays in certain weeks. Wouldnt effect me as I dont get overtime or extra pay, just salaried. It would effect you if for example, you were a nurse and could do extra shifts in advance of those weeks to get extra pay. being sick shiouldnt affect it if you are still being paid your normal salary. If you look at the .gov website's general maternity guidance it should tell you what the weeks are.

Found it! The 'relevant period' for calculating average weekly earnings for maternity pay is the 8 week period before the qualifying week. QW is 15 weeks before DD, so week 25. So relevant period is weeks 17-24? Something like that!

www.gov.uk/guidance/statutory-maternity-pay-manually-calculate-your-employees-payments

I work for NHS. Our omp is calculated as per smp which is week 17-25 or rather the wages we get on the pay days in those months. If you are on full sick pay then your maternity pay won't be affected. I assume teaching is similar to this.
Ours would only be affected if we were off sick in that we wouldn't get paid our enhancements for nights and weekends but would still get basic salary.

Thanks sanch that was exactly the information I was trying to find out and as lumpy says it's the same in the NHS that sounds like it will be the standard calculation weeks.

Thanks also emma that's a lovely summary and much better than my roughly scribbled notes!

Mumsnet has really come through. You're all brilliant