Maternity cover contract

[birdbrain21]

Just wondering if anyone can help me figure out my finances! A few months ago I was given a job when someone else went on maternity leave. The original arrangement was to do it till July (end of school term) but I've now been asked to carry on in September till this member of staff comes back in February/March 2016. The thing is I've just found out I'm pg and would want to go on maternity leave end of January 2016 (before she plans to come back). Does anyone know where I stand with maternity leave and pay? I will be starting whilst still on this maternity cover contract but my contract finishes about 2 weeks after I will start leave. The cover I am doing is a few afternoons a week, and is earning over £6000 per year and when she comes back they would like me to stay on for 1 afternoon a week (which I obviously won't be doing). Is there a minimum hours to work/wage to earn to be eligible for maternity pay?
I don't want to discuss this with them yet as I'm only a few weeks pg and don't want them to say my contract finishes in July now and they'll find someone else for next year.

Hope this all makes sense and someone can give me advice! Thanks for reading.

The fact that it's a fixed term contract doesn't affect your own entitlements. You are entitled to take a year's maternity leave. It's not clear from your post whether your employment is continuing or not -you say your contract ends 2 weeks after your maternity leave will start, and then say that they want you to stay on 1 afternoon a week.

In terms of maternity pay, your entitlement to SMP depends on length of service by what's called the qualifying week, and on your average weekly earnings. Have a go at the calculator here to see if you will qualify.

If you do qualify for SMP you will get it even if your employment ends while you are receiving it - your employer will need to pay it even after you've left employment unless and until you start work for someone else or your entitlement runs out.

Thanks, I had a look at the calculator but wasn't sure what happened when I stopped the cover. When I said my contract finishes but I've been asked to stay on I was just concerned that being employed for one afternoon a week was not enough hours/salary for me to qualify for smp.

As long as you were employed there before you were pregnant and you earned over the minimum amount during the qualifying weeks you will get SMP.
I am also pregnant and on a temp contract. My contract ends in September when the baby will be 2 months old. I've had it confirmed to me that I will get the company enhanced maternity pay until September and then SMP afterwards.
Unfortunately they are planning to pay me all of my remaining SMP in a lump sum at the end of September, which means I will pay tax on it (which I will be able to claim back after the end of the tax year next April).

Do you know what the minimum amount to qualify is? I just tried to do the calculator and it says I should be eligible for maternity allowance not smp. What's the difference?

Maternity Allowance
SMP. All on the same website.

If the calculator says you won't qualify for SMP and qualify for MA then that should be accurate.

Yep I found that thanks, I'm just not sure what the difference is. Last time I was working full time and got smp so bit confused about it being different this time

Really not sure how to explain it any clearer than the links tbh! As it says, if you qualify for MA it's because you don't qualify for SMP. SMP is 6 weeks at 90% then a basic statutory amount, MA is the basic statutory amount all through (or a bit less depending on your earnings), and is paid by the government rather than your employer. Presumably if you were previously working full time you were earning enough to qualify for SMP.

Thanks, last time I was also paid by the government, I think the difference from what you're saying is just that this time will be a set amount all the way through, not change. Thanks for your help

It will have been MA last time as well then. SMP is paid by the employer.