Enhanced maternity leave policy advice please

[JKD1982]

Hi Everyone

Hope you’re all well.

I am due to have my first baby early June. I am within 10 days of having worked 12 months for my company so in policy to receive enhanced maternity pay.

I’ve put my leave dates in for close to the birth so I am eligible. If I get ill or want to leave earlier I figured I can use my annual leave allowance.

I just wanted to know what happened if I had the baby early, does that mean the maternity leave kicks in automatically so I wouldn’t get the enhanced pay? Technically it is out of my control so pretty unfair?

I know money shouldn’t be a consideration and my focus is on my healthy baby, I just would like to understand my rights

Thank you

I think it is decided on your expected due date and doesn’t change if the baby is born on a different day. You would be best to double check with your HR department to be safe.

Your maternity leave would automatically start the day the baby is born x

OK. So if he’s early and I haven’t been in the business for 12 months they would retract the enhanced maternity pay?

I’m nervous to ask HR in case it flags that I am so close to the date! Literally 7 days... x

there's really no way for anyone on here to know unfortunately - if it's an enhanced policy they've no obligation to give it to you early, but i would imagine most employers have an enhanced policy because they want to look after their staff - so it's not unlikely they would honour it if baby is early. i certainly hope for you that they do.

Policies are usually based on length of service at the qualifying week, usually week 25 of pregnancy, not the birth. You need to check what your actual policy says though.

I know a newly qualified teacher who narrowly qualified for enhanced pay from her employer, the local council, based on her due date. Unfortunately, due to her underlying health problems, she had a section three weeks early and the council paid her SMP only. Nothing she could do as the qualifying date was X amount of service by EDD but she delivered before that.