Teacher maternity pay question!

[SenoraSurf]

I started at my academy in September and moved from a LA school. This academy follows STPC guidelines and they buy into the local authority services (HR etc). All the policies refer to the burgundy book... but I can't find the maternity policy ANYWHERE.

I don't want to ask the office/HR girls yet as I teach all of their children and it's very gossipy. I know legally they can't discuss it but it makes me uncomfortable at this stage as I'm only 5 weeks.

Do you think they will take my previous years at LA school in the same county as continuous employment? Or will I be stuck with SMP? Any ideas which burgundy book category I'd fall into in your opinion? I know I need to find out properly.

Thanks in advance for any replies

Not sure where you stand with BB, however, my academy don't follow LA guidelines and my LA service wasn't counted, just my service with them. I received some salaried pay and then SMP.
Mine is very similar in that the policy wasn't available anywhere and I just asked my head directly for it and she sorted everything with HR

@1sttimeDD thanks. I'm a bit worried that as I've won't have been there a year by due date (due August 19 and started employment there September 18) that I will be limited to SMP.

Frustrating really. It's an independent academy so I'm hoping to gosh I can get more than SMP :(

Wish it was more transparent at school!

Usually I think you have to have worked there for 26 weeks by the 15th week before your baby is due. You should be fine.
I haven't worked at my school long enough so I am only getting Maternity Allowance.

It actually stated in my contract that continuous service would be counted. Might be worth a look at your contract?

Usually I think you have to have worked there for 26 weeks by the 15th week before your baby is due. You should be fine.

That’s for SMP. You basically can’t be pregnant when you start work with a new employer.

So, just looked at my contract and it's says my school continuous service date is 1 sept 2018. However, in the conditions bit it gives extra info (screenshotted in the pic below). Does that mean the LA continuous service would only be included if I was made redundant and not included for maternity?

Are you in a union? I'd call them for advice.

It's SMP, sorry

That looks like you won’t qualify for the full package then, but it is certainly worth getting union advice. They would likely be your best port of call for advice if you don’t want to ask HR

For them to take in to consideration your previous years, you need to have continuous service noted in your contract. You can query this at any time and I'd do it sooner than later because a break in service impacts on your local authority pension, your redundancy entitlements etc.

I would mention to them that you want to check that your continuous service has been carried over.

Just saw that screenshot. If they recognise continuous service for redundancy, they likely recognise continuous service for all areas.

@TokenGinger I got a letter from new employer about teachers pension scheme thing and that I have to ring the TPS to get my previous service transferred over.
Do you think go to HR and ask them about continuous service then? This is all so confusing, I was at my old school for so long that I've never done any of this before! Crazy complicated :(

If your pension is recognised as being transferred over, your length of service usually is too. I'd definitely ask them x