Civil Service (Desnz) mat pay eligibility?

[NightCourtBaby]

Hi,

I have been offered a HO role for the CS but me amd my partner want to start a family. I wondered how long you have had to have worked there to qualify for enhanced pay?

Ive seen a mix of one year by expected due to date and a year before the 15th week of due date.

Any clarity would be greatly appreciated.

You have to have been employed for 52 weeks by the qualifying week, not the due date. I’ve seen a lot of people caught out by that unfortunately. So basically you need to have been employed for 67 weeks by your due date.

Thank you. I thought so. Is this desnz or a different dep?

I basically need to be employed for 6 months before i can start trying then

I’ve not known any civil service department differ from that rule.

I’m in the Home Office and that’s how it works there. Well worth waiting for too, as you get 26 weeks Occupational Maternity Pay once you qualify, and then 13 weeks on SMP.

Thank you for this. Its great benefits. I'm just approaching mid thirties and panicking about running out of time. But it is what it is.

Why don’t you ask for their policy? They can’t retract the offer because you ask for this, and can then see. Every CS dept I know it’s year service at qualifying week - but enhanced pay does vary - I’ve seen a variety of 4/6/9/12 months full pay and some split full pay/half pay

Not to sound completely dumb but what do you kean by "qualifying week"

And thank you. Im probably just having a down day. We've been trying with no luck and om absolutely thrilled to start a new job but the anxiety of waiting is getting me a bit. But it is what it is.

Qualifying week is usually the 25th week of pregnancy. It’s the cut off date for calculating entitlement and the latest by which you must let your employer know you’re pregnant.

The maternity qualifying week is the 15th week before your baby is due to be born.

I get it, I moved from private sector (where the jobs I had as worked in SMEs only paid stat) to the Civil Service when I thought about starting a family. I had my first baby at 34 and having my second at 37 - you’ve got time lovely

Thank you ♥️

@NightCourtBaby just checked the desnz policy:

To qualify for SMP you need to have been a civil servant for 26 weeks ending with the 15th week before expected week of childbirth. Give at least 28 days notice of the date they intend to start their maternity leave.

To qualify for departmental pay, need to satisfy the SMP requirements plus have 12 months service in the department by either the date of childbirth or the time they start mat leave, whichever is later.

Service in another government department counts as well, as long as there is no break in service.