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Original poster

Maternity leave - what is normal?

31 replies

pinningwobble · 13/04/2015 13:12

I am not yet pregnant but ttc. Thought mat leave policy in my place of work was 3 months full pay, then the rest statutory. It is, but found out today that if you don't return to work for three months after your mat leave ends, you have to pay back the three months full pay (minus your stat pay).

This seems outrageous to me. Is it normal? I don't know anything about this area so perfectly prepared to be told it is normal, I just didn't realise.

OP posts:

BaronessEllaSaturday · 13/04/2015 13:14

Perfectly normal to have conditions of return attached when firms do enhanced maternity pay.

BaroquePearl · 13/04/2015 13:14

Normal. Enhance mat pay is an incentive to return.

Secondtimesally · 13/04/2015 13:15

Yep sounds pretty standard. Government will fund the mat leave at 123 quid a week for 9 months. If you get any more than that it is at employer discretion - and they set the rules for it.

mayaknew · 13/04/2015 13:15

Yes this is normal I was the same . I was planning to return anyway but if your not you can ask for your difference to be withheld and paid at a lump sum at the end of your statutory , then if you don't go back you just pay the lump sum back .

Or if you want to return to work it usually States you only have to return for so long , mine was 6 months . Fwiw 3 months full pay is really good . Mine was 50% of salary on top of SMP for 16 weeks

Abeline · 13/04/2015 13:16

It's completely normal.

I don't see why you find it outrageous tbh, your employer is under no legal obligation to pay more than statutory in the first place. They are doing it as part of a package to retain good staff. The whole point is retention, so if you don't return (for a minimum period - you're lucky it's only 3 months, I've seen much longer) then you pay it back.

Original poster

pinningwobble · 13/04/2015 13:17

Thanks all, didn't realise this at all.

OP posts:

AbbeyRoadCrossing · 13/04/2015 13:17

Yes normal. The SMP is yours to keep but if you work for an employer that gives you extra there's usually conditions attached.

Original poster

pinningwobble · 13/04/2015 13:18

Abeline just because nowhere else I've worked has done this, that's all.

OP posts:

PotteringAlong · 13/04/2015 13:19

Another completely normal from me!

AbbeyRoadCrossing · 13/04/2015 13:20

Just to add, 3 months is quite a short return to work period. You'll accrue holiday and bank holidays when you're on leave. If you take these at the end it legally counts as returning to work. After I officially return to work I'm on annual leave for almost 2 months. If mine was a 3 month return to work deal I'd only have to do a month in the office!

BaronessEllaSaturday · 13/04/2015 13:20

pinningwobble have previous places you have worked done enhanced maternity pay or could you possibly just not have looked into it that closely.

PerspicaciaTick · 13/04/2015 13:21

My company paid for 3 months full pay then statutory. No requirement to repay if not returning, in fact you were deemed to have accrued holiday while on maternity leave so got paid for that on resigning.
Companies value people in different ways and choose the policies that suit their budget and employee demographic.

Original poster

pinningwobble · 13/04/2015 13:23

Baroness I was so curious I actually just called my old boss to double check, she confirmed it was three months full pay with no return to work obligation.

Obviously this is the exception!

OP posts:

Jackiebrambles · 13/04/2015 13:24

Yeah, normal. My work doesn't do enhanced mat pay at all so I just get statutory!

tumbletumble · 13/04/2015 13:26

My workplace did not require me to pay back my maternity pay if I didn't return to work, but I was paid full pay for six weeks before stat pay kicked in. Three months seems quite generous so I guess that is why they ask you to pay it back.

Pico2 · 13/04/2015 13:30

I've had two per in two different employers. Both had similar benefits, but the period you had to return to work for to keep the money was 1 year, 3 months sounds pretty generous. I had to pay it back for my first maternity leave as I moved job after a few months.

Employers are incentivising their staff to return to work because they want their trained and skilled staff back, not just for altruistic reasons.

Happening · 13/04/2015 13:30

Totally normal. You are lucky to get anything over statutory in the first place

SocksRock · 13/04/2015 13:35

Normal. I had to go back for 12 months to keep my enhanced pay, would have loved only a 3 month commitment!

Original poster

pinningwobble · 13/04/2015 13:37

Thank you everyone for all your answers. On my salary (30k in London) it would not really be worth returning to work given childcare costs, that's why I asked.

OP posts:

Jackiebrambles · 13/04/2015 13:46

Well bear in mind that your childcare costs aren't just yours to bear, your other half needs childcare too!

Lots of people work to break even for a few years to keep their careers.

Original poster

pinningwobble · 13/04/2015 13:49

No I know Jackie, but at the moment I am planning to be a SAHM. I also do some freelance writing and journalism. DH's salary is 80k so is enough for us.

I may of course change my mind when I do have a baby but that is the plan!

OP posts:

Jackiebrambles · 13/04/2015 13:53

Well that sounds like a good plan then, excellent that you can freelance etc. you'll be able to work in evenings / weekends when your Dh can be on duty!

See how you feel when the baby is here, you never know! I was very happy to go back to the office for a rest

Original poster

pinningwobble · 13/04/2015 13:56

Jackie absolutely, I may well be itching to go back to work I know :)

OP posts:

MsSampson · 13/04/2015 13:57

Sorry to hijack, but can an employer ask for all additional pay to be returned as a lump sum? So, I have been planning to return but circumstances (moving for DHs work) now mean that I can't. So,0 additional pay has been spent and I don't have the lump sum available. Does anyone know if they could legally demand it all straight away?

AbbeyRoadCrossing · 13/04/2015 13:58

It's worth deciding at the end in any case, you don't have to tell them you don't intend to return until the very end. I think you could probably return for 3 months without really returning e.g. if you take a year and then take your annual leave and bank holidays at the end you might only actually have to return a few weeks. Or if you quit at the end the holiday they owe you will be offset against the amount you owe, so you might not have to pay back the full amount.
I expect your DH might not want to if he's a high earner but with shared parental leave he could be off whilst you return.
Lots of options and time to decide anyway, hope all goes well

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