just started back at work after 6 months maternity leave, and shock shock just discovered im 6 weks pregnant!!!

[loulou86]

hi could anyone offerme any advice what so ever!!!!
i currently have 2 lil ones 5year old, and 6month old, just gone back to work last week and shock shock just discovered im expecting again!!!
we can only just get by with the money were on at the moment, and i really need to know if im still entitled to a secound ML im planning on working till 32 weeks same as my last pregnancy if all goes accourdingly, but i carnt afford not to be entitled tommaternity leave, so confused at the moment, any advice grately appreciated
loulou

Congratulations. Have googled for you...

"If your maternity leave ends soon and you are pregnant again you still have rights. Maternity leave does not break your continuity of employment, so your right to maternity leave for the new baby will be based on your total service with your employer. You may also qualify for SMP as long as you meet the normal conditions.

However, this will mean you will have to be receiving £77 per week or more from your employer in approximately weeks 18-26 of your pregnancy when SMP entitlement is calculated.

If you have already taken OML and AML (a year off) you will be entitled to a second period of OML and AML. However, if you go straight onto another period of OML without physically returning to work and decide to return to work after the second period of OML you will not have the right to return to exactly the same job as you normally would at the end of OML. However, you will have the same rights as you would have had at the end of AML, which is the right to return to the same job or if that is not reasonably practicable, a suitable alternative job on similar terms and conditions.

If you return to work after the end of your first period of AML and before the start of your second period of OML even if you only return for one day your rights are not affected and you would have the right to return to exactly the same job after OML"

Your right to maternity leave is never affected by previous leave, even if it is back to back.

But it sounds like your real worry is the money, not the leave.

AS Liberty says, SMP is calculated in weeks 18-26 (i.e. roughly the second trimester). If you are on leave and not receiving pay during those weeks, you can end up not entitled to any SMP. You are back at work by week 6, so should be fine.

If you get more than SMP, you will need to check if there is a company policy on how long you need to be back.

HTH.

My friend got pregnant on maternity leave before she had even returned when her DS was 5 months old.

She claimed maternity pay from the state rather than her employer ass she never went back.