Enhanced Maternity Pay - how long with the same company?

[HannaMartinez]

Hello,
I've been in my current company for 4 years but I've just got a job offer and I'm very excited about it. The issue is that I'm planning to get pregnant soon and ideally I would like to qualify for Enhanced Maternity Pay when on maternity.
I know to qualify for SME, you need to be 26 weeks with the same company by the time you are 25 weeks pregnant. However, does anyone know if you need to have worked for the same company for a certain period of time before you can qualify for the enhanced maternity pay from your company?
I need to give an answer to my new job tomorrow and I really don't know what to do!
Any experiences would be much appreciated xx

Each company will have their own rules to qualify for enhanced maternity pay

I don't think there's any standard response, think it will depend on the company's policy. I had to be at my old company for 2 years qualify for EMP.

Do you even know if the new company has an enhanced maternity policy?
Honestly, if the job is good, take it. Pregnancy and maternity is so unpredictable. They job is available.

2 years before you fell pregnant at my old place. No idea at the new place.

You would be best to look at their company handbook to find out what their qualifying length of service is. Where I work now is a years employment but the company before didn't have a policy so it was the government statutory policy that applied....

The only places I've worked at that paid EMP had a two year qualifying period. I was only paid SMP where I worked at the time I had my two pregnancies.

It's 5 years at my place so variable from company to company.

Thank you for all your responses, I really appreciate it ☺️
It’s such a difficult decision for me. I know it’s not ideal to start a new job when thinking to TTC, however it’s a great job opportunity.
I know the company offers EMP, however I don’t know how long you need to be there to qualify for it.
I understand each company have their own policies, I just thought to get an idea to see if there was certain period of time that was the usual xxx

@mooloop

It's 5 years at my place so variable from company to company.

Christ, what’s the package? I’d expect full pay for a year after that. Somehow I suspect it isn’t that though! Ours is either six months or a year, I can’t remember (and then full pay for nine months, which is great).

OP take the job. You don't know how long it's going to get pregnant, everyone imagines that it will happen quickly but you never know. It's also likely to be more difficult to change jobs once you have children so take a job now that excites you, do it well, build up a relationship with the employer etc which will pay dividends if you want to ask for flexibility later.

2 years at my company. SMP+ 12 weeks at half pay or 20 weeks at 30%. Every company is different. If it's a big company some of us might have worked there and be able to tell you?

2 years at my old place and it's 2 years at my new place too. Seems pretty standard