Starting a new job within a different LEA-things to be aware of?

[rollonthesummer]

I've been offered a new job in a different LEA and was wondering what happened with regards to things like maternity leave/sick pay etc. I have been at the same place for the best part of 20 years-what if I gave my notice in tomorrow ready to start a new teaching post in September but was then diagnosed with something hideous (worst case scenario situations have been floating around my head since 4am!)-would my current employer not care as I've handed in my notice to go at the end of August but my new job not care either as I haven't been there 2 years and don't qualify for anything?!

Help!

If you're a teacher in a state school then you are deemed to have continuous service regardless of which LEA you're working for (provided you have no breaks in teaching). As a teacher, you get the maximum sick leave benefits once you have a total of 5 years teaching, even if there have been breaks. Teaching benefits are ridiculously generous

As long it's not an academy. An ex-colleague's wife went back last September after maternity leave to a new academy (had been at previous school years and years). 6 weeks in she was diagnosed with cancer and hasn't been back to work since due to aggressive treatment. She's entitled to absolutely nothing.

Yes, that's true although in some LAs years teaching in an academy still count towards aggregate teaching years once your back in a LA school. Some academies have also adopted standard teaching conditions so you still get continuous service but you need to be more careful when transferring from/to an academy.

Actually weren't the existing staff tuped if the old school simply became an academy and all the staff transferred? It would be unusual for there to be a break in service in those circumstances. Has your friend had any advice?

Don't know - she's someone I know of, as opposed to someone I've met. To be honest, I think she's been too busy being very very ill and her husband has been too busy teaching full time, dealing with 3 children on his own and trying to visit her in a hospital 40 miles away...