Anyone pregnant and on short term supply?

[dreamygirl25]

What have been your experiences? Have you been asked to start early unpaid maternity leave at 28 weeks? Unpaid as in your 9 months stat maternity pay/maternity allowance begins at 28 weeks.

That’s not legal as I’m quite sure that they can only ask you to start maternity leave 4 weeks before your due date. I would get in touch with your union.

Sorry I can’t help with anything else as I’m not on supply but I am fairly certain about my above point as I looked it up a few weeks ago when my hod was suggesting I take maternity leave ‘early’ if they couldn’t mitigate the risk from Covid at 28 weeks

Pregnancy is a protected characteristic. Look at the information on the gov.uk website regarding maternity leave. I printed it off for a colleague to take into a meeting when management were trying to bully her into starting mat leave before she wanted to.

When is your supply period due to end? Is it at 28 weeks? They can't ask anyone to start maternity leave early, can only start if unwell (signed off sick). If contract ends then, they don't need to extend it because you are pregnant or if the person you are covering supply for returns, or they recruit to the post and the new person starts and give you the notice period as required by your contract. They can't just end your contract because you are pregnant (so need to have good reason, or else discrimination).