Redundancy when pregnant - at what point does your employer have to pay your mat leave?

[angelonthetree]

To cut a long story short:

I am on a permanent contract but have been working on projects for the past 8 months while HR have been trying to find me a permanent role. They have not been able to do that yet. They have started talking about the fact I may need to be put at risk of redundancy as I am part time and they don't have many part time roles at my level (but they haven't actually put me at risk.)

I am 7 weeks pregnant with a due date of october 27th (planning for a successful pregnancy) and really want to protect my maternity package if i am made redundant as it is very good.

I believe if i am made redundant at 26 weeks pregnant or after then my company have to pay my maternity leave money. Is this right? I will be 26 weeks on 23rd July. Assuming i have a 3 month 'At Risk' period then that would mean if i can get to 23rd April without them placing me 'At Risk' then I would be entitled to my mat leave payment.

Can anybody help me out on this? Are my calculations right?!

I haven't yet told my company I am pregnant.

Many Thanks in advance for anyone who can help

Unless they are very generous you won't be able to protect your 'very good' maternity package, assuming you mean you get more than statutory. Employers can put whatever terms and conditions they like on enhanced maternity packages and even if yours doesn't involve having to return for a period of time after maternity leave, it would be unlikely you would get it once you're no longer employed. Check the policy just in case though.

What you can potentially protect is your entitlement to statutory maternity pay, which is 6 weeks at 90% of salary and 33 weeks at the basic rate, which is about £128 I think. Once you've qualified for it by still be employed at 26 weeks pregnant, you get it regardless of the fact you then leave employment.

thanks flowery, thats a bit of a bugger then....