Does anyone know of any good sources of info regarding employment law, perhaps relating specifically to pregnancy/maternity leave?
In a nutshell, I was signed off work for a while by my GP because I was having severe morning sickness and, at one stage, it looked like I was going to miscarry. When I returned to work, I was told that my pay would be stopped for the next couple of months because the organisation I work for only pays statutory sick pay and not basic pay when staff are off sick. SSP is in the region of about £60 a week, I think. As I was paid my full, basic salary while I was signed off, they would be reclaiming this by stopping my pay now. I pointed out that they couldn't do this because my sick leave was pregnancy related and the organisation's maternity leave policy states (under a section headed 'sickness absence during or following pregnancy');
"any pregnancy related absences will not count towards reduced sick pay calculations or sick absence warning trigger points and shall be recorded seperately"
To me, this clearly states that pregnancy related sick absences are distinct and seperate from normal sick absence procedures and, most importantly, does not count towards reduced sick pay calculations.
I was then told that "we need some time to check this out" and was subsequently informed that "this paragraph is contradictory and open to misunderstanding - we're going back to our legal advisors to check it out and possibly revise it to make it clear."
I'm furious. I think it's crystal clear and have asked them to explain why they think it's in any way ambiguous (they haven't as yet). I'm also doubtful that they can change the policy to make it fit around not having to pay me my salary and then apply it retrospectively - surely they can only apply policy as it stood at the time when I was signed off?
As I'm pretty stressed out and worried by the prospect of not being paid for the next couple of months, not being able to pay the mortgage, not being able to buy presents/food etc over the Christmas period, not being able to provide for my children and not being able to prepare for the new baby on the way, I need to get myself some good legal advice. What's the best way to track down such advice?