Need to go off sick but need to qualify for mat allowance!

[nalaa]

Hi everyone,

Just as the title says really. I went back to work a few weeks ago, then have unexpectedly found out I'm pregnant. I work in a restaurant so on my feet a lot and the food is making me want to bork everywhere 😭 only problem is I need to qualify for maternity allowance and I'm not sure any sick leave/pay contributes to it? I've been to the GP who's given me anti sickness which doesn't seem to be helping. I'm just besides myself with exhaustion from Being sick day in day out. 😔

Can't help with maternity law side of things, but Id go back to GP see if they can give you something else. There's a couple of different antiemetics and you might find another one works better. I found zofran the most useful during pregnancy.

Will it be Maternity Allowance rather than statutory maternity pay? You would use the 13 weeks of payslips where you earned the most amount of money so as to get the maximum amount of MA possible.

If you're working then this is the eligibility criteria for MA:

• employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby’s due

If you’ve been employed, you must have been earning (or classed as earning) £30 a week or more in at least 13 weeks of your employment. The weeks do not have to be together.

You may still qualify if you’ve recently stopped working. It does not matter if you had different jobs or periods of unemployment.

Thanks both!

@EliflurtleAndTheInfiniteMadness I'm definitely going to return to the doctors, she did say if it didn't work she could possibly try another. It's absolutely awful so do need to find a remedy!

@dementedpixie
It's definitely maternity allowance as I was technically pregnant when I started just didn't know yet. Looked into it and I don't qualify for SMP. But looking at the guidelines I guess being sick still counts as being employed? It's so confusing! I want to qualify for it but really need a week or so to rest and hopefully get this sickness under control!

Your nausea and sickness most likely will go away from the second trimester. So you can go on sick leave, and it won't matter if it counts in or not; if you go back to work at some point in your pregnancy. You need to have 13 weeks of payslip sent to qualify (minimum £30 a week), so check on the government website your dates when these weeks have to be.
If you been employed there for long, it won't be a problem, as the weeks don't have to be together.

For example, I stopped working 6 months before my due date, but I'm getting maternity allowance as my 13 weeks before was in the time limit. If that's makes sense.

@nalaa yes you still count as being employed when off sick. Do you get sick pay too?

Thanks @Katherina198819 I think that makes sense! Feels so complicated for no reason! I've not been at the company long and was at home with my toddler before that as couldn't afford childcare. I may have no choice but to go off for a little while, it's so bad this week! Praying it goes away soon!

@dementedpixie I don't get sick pay as not been there long enough, it's 6 months in my work before you even get a week! I'll get statutory I guess but this won't be a lot!

Yes you should get SSP. Hope you improve soon