Job offer at 16 weeks

[Ivy37]

I've just been offered a job role that I applied to before getting pregnant. It wouldn't start for 1 month earliest, so I would be 20 weeks at the time of starting. I need to tell them I'm pregnant before accepting right?

For reference, it's a job I would love to take, be happy to return to (I think) after 12 months of mat leave. I wouldn't qualify for enhanced mat payments, so would lose out financially for the next 12 months (compared to if I stayed with current company). But I would hate to return to my current job with a baby, whereas this one it would be manageable I believe.

If I tell them I'm pregnant, can they rescind the offer? Is it crazy to think of starting a new job at 20 weeks? Any advice very much appreciated.

They can't rescind it. You need to tell them by 25 weeks. It's up to you whether you think you can handle training, and the cut in pay

If you stayed in current job, would there be conditions on getting the enhanced mat pay - such as having to return for a certain number of weeks/months? And have you done the calculations on the difference between moving and only having SMP, and staying and having EMP? Once you've done the maths, the decision may be clear about whether it's worth sticking it out where you are or not, and if you don't have to return/only have to return for a very short period (parrticularly if you could minimise the impact of that by, for example, having shared parental leave and having partner cover the weeks you have to return for, or drafting in grandparents), you could put the difference in pay aside and use it for a further period at home/job hunting after any mandatory return window following mat leave.

Thank you both - both very useful points. I haven't told my current employer yet so am not 100% sure of the EMP terms (have a feeling they have another policy document that only comes out when you need the leave..). Thanks for the perspectives, much thinking to do

Generally it is better to stay in your job by this stage because the qualifying weeks determine your smp for the first 6 weeks too. Whilst you have protection to an extent being pregnant it's not absolute against your new job letting you go before your probation is over, too many women are let go!

Obviously only you know but id generally say it's better to job hunt whilst on maternity leave or once you return

@mitogoshi ah good point - so the 25th week of pregnancy is the qualifying week, got it. I hadn't realised this, so if in the 15th week before pregnancy you received zero salary, would that mean you'd qualify for zero for the first 6 weeks of SMP? (aside from the minimum MA amount of ~£170)

That's a good point about being let go on probation for other reasons, I hadn't even considered that... thank you!

There is a helpful maternity calculator online which shows which months are your qualifying period. I actually have a job interview tomorrow at 22 weeks pregnant and my current employer has to pay my SMP of 6 weeks of 90% pay and 33 weeks at £184.03 as my qualifying period was February and March pay.

I’d have to put my cards on the table. They can’t rescind the offer but employers will vary vastly in what they offer and how they respond. This could be a good indication of the company culture actually.
I’d just explain there’s been a change in your personal circumstances since you applied and that while you’d love to accept the job, you are now 16 weeks pregnant, so will need to consider how to proceed.
Once you have all the information you can make an informed decision.

@Sophie3003 - thank you, do you have a link to this? Everything I can find just says the 15th week before pregnancy i.e. one week, based on the generic due date, but yours sounds different! (unless its employer specific?) Thank you

@PiggieWig - thank you too. Yes I've decided to be transparent with the job offer, tell the employer I'm pregnant and see what they say - as you say, it might be telling and help make the decision..

And at the same time, finally talk to my current employer and get all the information I can on what they offer. This is all quite confusing to navigate!

www.gov.uk/maternity-paternity-calculator here it is, it is an employer's one but I used it for myself and I am a payroll and pensions manager

Does your current company have a claw back? And more importantly do they enforce it?

You're so far into your pregnancy it seems a lot of stress to move to me. If you're basing it on you 'might' go back to said new job but couldn't stand to go back to your old one. The question is do you have to go back for long?

Also depends why you can't stand to go back. Sometimes when being a working mum it's better the devil you know and In the grand scheme of things, going back for 6 months to familiarity might be what you need.

Would you feel anxious only being in the new job for 4 months before going off for a year? When you get back you probably won't remember much and it will be a steep learning curve.

My advice would be stay put and job hunt at 6 months after you return. You get paid maternity leave too then.

Would you ask them to defer the offer and hand your notice in after your match leave ? That might work if they're recruiting lots of people and willing to wait for you. Depends what kind of job it is.

Thank you all! I told the new employer - they were amazing, hugely reassuring and said it doesn't impact anything and the offer still stands. Team sounded lovely. Strongly considering...

@lpylou - Not sure yet, I've now informed the current employer and asked for all policies. No claw back is written in my contract/handbook, but there might be others I don't know about yet. Agree with you for most situations, but the current job is so unpredictable that I think it's kind of AS stressful as starting a new role... but it is still the devil I know I agree

@Unexpectedlysinglemum - unfortunately not! but they do recruit alot, so I'd def be able to do another application after mat leave (but may be out of practice on interviews etc I guess)