Giving up generous maternity package for new job?

[UncleBunclesHouse]

Has anyone done this? Or even better managed to somehow negotiate this as extra compensation as part of the new role?

I have been having various frustrations with my current organisation lately and have started having a look around at what is out there, just to get a feel for the current market really. However I have seen a pretty perfect fit role at one of my current companies much respected competitors.

The sticking point - I am pregnant and my current company offers a very generous maternity package.

What should I do? Worth applying? It will be hard to pass up as it really does look a good role...but I don’t think I can afford only the statutory maternity pay a short tenure will involve.

I think it would be difficult to start a job pregnant knowing you will only do a few months before going on leave. I know that technically you can do this but my personal feeling is that you would be better waiting until after the baby. You might want to go part time for example?

I definitely would stay put and keep your generous maternity package. You have no obligation to go back to your role but I would just double check any policies put in place about paying additional maternity leave back. There are many companies that don’t do this but I’ve heard of a few who do. As PP says it will be tough starting a new job and you have no idea how you may feel once baby is here. X

Thanks @converseandjeans @Britannah, I think you are right really, although you can do it in theory. It’s very annoying timing to see this role come up, wish I hadn’t looked now! 🙈

I would stay put too. You don’t want to be on probation and pregnant in a new company.

I'd stay put too. It's pants but that's just bad timing.

I've found myself in a very similar dilemma. I applied for a long needed career change months ago and the recruitment process took so long I'm now here pregnant with a great official job offer! Something that doesn't come round often at all. After a lot of thought I'm staying put. My current career is a dead end for me personally as it's not what I want to do, so it's a big waste but I really don't want to throw the money away or feel under financial pressure to return to work asap after the baby. With my current job I can have a full, well paid maternity and return comfortably on part-time for a while too. I can also feel comfortable whilst pregnant and not worry about making a good first impression while I'm not feeling my best. And who knows how I will feel then with a baby. I might realise this new (realistically quite stressful) career is no longer what I want while my kid/kids are young. It does involve working quite long hours, awkward commute, and there is no promise of part-time there. Oh also I've told them I'm pregnant and no offer of anything other than maternity allowance (wouldn't even qualify for stat mat pay). Fair enough. So I'm going to stay put and see how I feel further down the line. I feel it will be easier to know what I truly want when the time comes, baby in arms and maternity leave complete. I hope that helps!

but I don’t think I can afford only the statutory maternity pay a short tenure will involve.

That would be it for me. Definitely stay put

I would say stick with what you know OP. Especially if it is a good mat package - it can be quite hard going back to work after having a baby and imo much better to go somewhere familiar. Plus l think a bit unfair gonna new employer knowing you won't be there long. No brainer.

Stay put. Find out how long you need to return to your current job after having the baby so that you don't need to repay the additional mat pay, and start looking for something else in tim to align with that.

Stay put

You probably wouldn’t be entitled to statutory mat pay at all if you move jobs. You need to “have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks continuing into the ‘qualifying week’ - the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth” according to the government eligibility criteria, so if you are already pregnant you will have missed the cut off for having been employed by them for 26 weeks by the time you are 15 weeks away from giving birth (ie 25 weeks pregnant).

I had to work a certain number of weeks after maternity otherwise I would have had to pay some of the money back.

It's awful though how women have to make these difficult choices. A man wouldn't have to think about this at all.

It wouldn't be statutory maternity pay you'd get, you may qualify for maternity allowance but that is less again (39 weeks at SMP levels, rather than 6 weeks at 90% and 33 weeks at SMP).

It's unlikely a new company would say "yes, we'll hire you, and pay you for your maternity before you've proved yourself to us" - it's too big a risk, you'd need training twice (I'd assume you wouldn't be there long enough the first time to have memorised everything by the time you return) and it would be a huge outlay for enhanced maternity pay. They shouldn't discriminate based on pregnancy and I do know of companies who have waited for people to come off maternity for the right candidate, but not while also paying them.

It sucks, especially as men wouldn't even blink for moving jobs while their partner is pregnant.

I moved jobs while TTC as we were ok. But I had to do lots of weighing up of "what if I fall pregnant after offer and before start date?" Etc. I'm going to be a bit worse off despite a big payrise, then it will balance out by just over 2 years from starting in the job. Can you look at the figures and see if you can make them work?

If you are keen to do this, be up front with the company about your pregnancy and ask them outright what they can do for you as you are giving up a good package. If they really want you, you don't know what will be on offer - it may be MA but a massive payrise or who knows.

Then you will know what you are comparing whereas right now you are just making assumptions. You can always stay with your current company anyway.

I work for a company that has hired women who only started the job after their maternity leave (ie. Interviewed in late stages of pregnancy). It isn't always a deal breaker. I don't know the financial though...

Sorry OP, but you’d be crackers. I know one person who negotiated full maternity in a new role when she was pregnant but she had been headhunted and was in a very strong negotiating position.