Advice on Maternity leave

[angelic121]

Hi I am after some help.

I have just found out I am 4 weeks pregnant with a due date of 10/3/14.

I am working full time on a fixed term contract that runs out in June 2014.

What maternity leave will I get? really confused.

Thanks for any help

Congratulations!

There are two issues here, maternity leave and maternity pay.

In terms of maternity leave, you are entitled to take maternity leave of up to a year while you are still employed, but if your employment ends for a fair reason during your maternity leave, your employer isn't obliged to keep you on their books or keep a job for you. Having said that, if your contract would have been renewed, they can't not renew it because of your pregnancy/maternity leave.

In terms of maternity pay, if you meet the requirements for statutory maternity pay, your employer will have to pay that regardless of whether your employment ends or not. To get SMP you need to be continuously employed for 26 weeks by the 15th week before your due date (which basically means you need to have been employed a couple of weeks or so before getting pregnant), and your average earnings need to be at least £109 a week.

Once you meet those requirements, you are entitled to SMP for 39 weeks even if your employment ends in the middle of that. Unless you start work for a new employer.

Flowery you are brilliant