Maternity pay calculations

[LittleB]

Hi. don't know if anyone can help me with this, I'm trying to work out finances - I'm 14 weeks pregnant at the moment. I currently work full time but I'm hoping to work part time when I return to work after maternity leave. I know payments during maternity leave are calculated as percentages of wages e.g. 90%. Is this calculated on my full time wage before I go on maternity leave or my part time wage when I return? I know if you don't return to work the employers can get their contribution back (the bit they pay additional to SMP as part of 'good' employer benefit package), so if you only come back part time are you only eligable for part of it? Any advice would be good, can't find the info on the web.
Thanks

tiger.gov.uk website is good for this.

IIRC statutory maternity pay is - 6 weeks at 90% - then 20 weeks at currently £100 per week - but if might have gone up to £150 per week by your due date. the 90% will be based on your full time wage.

does your firm pay something in addition to SMP? i don't think your employers would be entitled to anything back from any contractual maternity pay if you return to work part time.

Yes, my employers do pay over the SMP, although their current website details are out of date as it only caluculates it on 18 weeks maternity leave and I know its now 26 weeks paid. My employers will pay SMP plus half my normal wages, (unles this exceeds full pay - in which case they will pay full pay). I guess whether this is my full time pay or returning part time pay may be up to them, I just wanted a better idea of what my rights are before I speak to them. I'm trying to work out whether I might be able to afford to take a bit of unpaid maternity leave before I return as I'd really like too!

see your other thread

the dti website offers excellent advice, contractual maternity pay does not have to be paid back if you return to work, regardless of the hours you do, however they usually stipulate a lenghth of time you must return for ie 3 months.

Think the 90% is calculated based on average weekly earnings, including bonuses, over a defined period before you are eligible to start Maternity Leave (8 weeks or 2 months prior to the fifteenth week before your edd - have a look here under Maternity pay ). The employers can only request any payments over and above back if it is stated up front that it is conditional upon , for example , your returning to work for a fixed period at the end of your Maternity Leave. As you don't have to confirm your plans to return to work (full or part time) until after the birth (then I would have thought their "half wage" contribution would be calculated upon your salary now, unless they precondition that in writing too.

hth

You should get your maternity pay calculated on the hours you work up to going on maternity leave - for you that would be full time.

I'm currently expecting my 2nd baby and working 4 days a week, but planning to return to work 3 days a week when the baby is about 9 months. I'm not going to tell my employer this until after the baby is born, in case they try to force me down to 3 days before the birth. I want to accrue my maternity pay and benefits on my current contracted hours.

yes Lisz u r right, the calculations are made based on your earningg 8 weeks b4 u r due for leave, so get in lots of extra overtime then! lol. Also as well, if for some reason you are off sick 12 weeks (or used to be) before your due date then you will have to go onto maternity leave even if you don't really want to. I think this is for perlonged sickness thou not for an occasional day. look on www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk for more info.

Thank you for the advice everyone thats really helpful. Unfortunately my employers don't let us do overtime, but at least I know it'll be calculated on my full time pay.

with regard to the sickness thing and being put on maternity leave earlier, it used to be that if you were signed off before the 11th week then you would be put on leave from the 11th week. It is now 4 weeks before. So if you're signed off, they won't start your maternity leave until the 4th week before your due date.

Will have to google about the new smp if it's going up to £150 per week. I'll only get the statuatory minimum of 90% for 6 weeks and then SMP so another £200 per month will come in very handy. Due date is April 22nd, so lets hope baby doesnt decide to come before April 6th !