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BFP test & Redundancy Looming

15 replies

Bellabutterfly2016 · 05/05/2018 08:14

Morning!!
Oh ladies (and any Daddy lurkers!!)
I've got a right situation on my hands here; bear with me here!

So we have a dd who is 3 and we'd always thought that a little bro/sis would be nice for her. Owing to sky high childcare we've waited until she gets her 3yr funding. We started trying in the new year and then last month (beginning of April) was disappointed again I'd come on (albeit only for 1-2 days and very light not like normal) - however at the end of march I had some bad news. They are doing some restructuring of jobs within my workplace and my position won't exist but they'll be some jobs for people to apply for, a reduction of 22 to a team of 10 full time equivalent jobs - seems to be the case slot these days! After I'd been on my period we discussed it and started using protection until things were more settled workwise and said everything happens for a reason etc etc.... as not great timing.

Work has been quite unpleasant (we all sit in a big open plan office) as everyone is "competing" again not each other and people have even gone as far as to say "that's my job"! Even tho the roles have changed titles and the tasks spread so instead of people doing a specific thing - some stuff is going to be centralised and the team will be general support - on less money, obviously!!! Previously we'd been a really good team.

Anyway so having received my "at risk" letter and now they've done a big "mapping exercise" myself and 5 of the more senior long time serving staff like myself haven't got a job (as they have to salary protect for 2 years and our older contracts give 25 days holiday not 20 and double pay weekends, treble for bank hols) im guessing is the theory plus enhanced sick pay after length of service. We've also been told we will only get statutory redundancy pay to add insult to injury.

Anyway so I'm cleaning yesterday and tidying up my bathroom cupboard and saw my ladies monthly supplies and so it made me think, when was I last on! I checked back and it was 31 days ago (1st day of last "period" 1st April). I'm usually fairly heavy - sorry if that's tmi!! But last time wasn't and only lasted about a day and a half it's usually about 4 days. I rushed out to the shop telling my partner I'd run out of some bits and bought a test and it's showing a BFP! I'm now wondering if that mini period was an implantation bleed.

Ordinarily I'd have been over the moon however I haven't told my partner and I barely slept last night as I don't want to stress him out as we're already worrying about my job situation.

We're all working our notice at the moment until the end of June - that's all been agreed with time off for interviews etc.... my dilemma is now I'm jobhunting while pregnant but also - I won't be 25 weeks by then either so no maternity pay from my current employer.

Having just literally found out it's not like I was selected for redundancy because I was pregnant but I'm just absoluted gutted I'm in this situation but excited I'm pregnant.

Anyone else been in this situation and can give me some advice? Do I jobhunt and keep quiet or am I honest? Xx

OP posts:
Bellabutterfly2016 · 05/05/2018 19:06

11hrs no reply 😩
You probably all lost the will to la be after the second paragraph.......

Still not told my partner - he's coming home from work at 9, just no idea what to do.

X

OP posts:
Bellabutterfly2016 · 05/05/2018 19:06

Will to live that should read!

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Eatsleepworkrepeat · 05/05/2018 19:11

Sorry you've found yourself in this situation (but congrats on the bfp!). I haven't been in this situation but was on short term contracts during my pregnancy. Have a good look at how many weeks you have to have been working before the birth to at least qualify for smp /maternity allowance. It might be that by June you'll have done enough, or might be you could top it up by doing some temping or something. Personally I wouldn't tell anyone you're pregnant when applying for jobs - it's illegal for them to ask you, for a reason. Good luck Flowers

Eatsleepworkrepeat · 05/05/2018 19:12

PS sorry you haven't had more replies, every subforum except aibu and chat is pretty quiet! Maybe repost in chat?

PersianCatLady · 05/05/2018 19:17

Legally all workers in the UK are entitled to 28 days paid holiday a year so I don't understand how your contracts say 20 / 25 days

VikingVolva · 05/05/2018 19:21

From the Maternity Action website:

"You will not get SMP if you are made redundant and stop being employed BEFORE your qualifying week (the 15th week before your baby is due) but you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance. If you are made redundant and stop being employed IN or AFTER your qualifying week but before you start your maternity leave, you are still entitled to SMP."

So you will get MA which is something. And yes, jobhunt. It might not lead anywhere, but it definitely won't if you don't even look.

WinnieTheW0rm · 05/05/2018 19:22

"I don't understand how your contracts say 20 / 25 days"

It'll be Bank Holidays, won't it?

PersianCatLady · 05/05/2018 19:26

I don't know if it is bank holidays, it doesn't say but worth mentioning in case it isn't

Bellabutterfly2016 · 05/05/2018 20:07

Hey thanks ladies;

It's 20 days plus b/hols on the new contracts and 25 days plus b/hols on the old plus they "give" up to 4 days between Xmas and new year as we are closed so I think they're covered.

I just know my partner will go into panick mode! I'm going to try to get a perm job ASAP but temping is a good second option I hadn't really considered and just looked - maternity allowance is about the same as statutory maternity pay just without the 6 weeks of pay at 90% at the beginning but I'm going to save my redundancy money up for when I'm on maternity leave to bridge the gap a little bit.

It's just a worry being in this situation the redundancy announcement was a right shock because we're all so busy but like all organisations, they're looking to cut-back where they can x

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PersianCatLady · 06/05/2018 08:54

Bella
OK that makes sense but it was worth mentioning.

I don't know what else to say other than I am sorry that your happy time is being overshadowed by these redundancies.

Bellabutterfly2016 · 06/05/2018 17:25

Thanks Persiancatlady for your kind words
I'm just really really stressed with it all and wondering what on earth to do.

I still haven't told my partner yet tho Infact I haven't told anyone as I'd asked nearly all my friends to ask their bosses about jobs and now I'm pregnant 🤰🏼 it's a bit awkward

Oh what a mess!

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umizoomi · 06/05/2018 17:33

Are you definitely being made redundant or can you apply for a job at your current workplace? You mentioned that there are some jobs available and you have to fight between you for them?

How long have you been there?

Bellabutterfly2016 · 06/05/2018 18:57

It's fairly definate as the remaining jobs have been offered to people through a mapping exercise - but we've all appealed (union rep advised us to do so)! but if there isn't any jobs for us it's more or less a done deal.
10 years I've been there so a long time x

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umizoomi · 06/05/2018 19:13

Then I would consider all options of temping and a new full time job. It really depends on your job, what you do etc and your salary/if you could do it temp or not.

Have they actually given you notice of redundancy and you are now working your notice? Or will you receive notice pay at the end?

You mentioned you are in a senior role, so am guessing your salary is ok. The stat payment is £508 per year of service so if you earn above that then it's not fab to only be stat but it's still £5K tax free. How much is your childcare? Could you survive on your DH's salary if you didn't have the childcare bill. Sometime the bill is so big you realise that actually you could manage for a while on one salary.

Could you do any consultancy work to fit around the DC?

I think you should keep pern and temp options open and then try to save the redundancy pay to supplement the mat pay.

But tell your husband. You will cope but you need to share the burden Thanks

Bellabutterfly2016 · 06/05/2018 19:32

Hey,
I could manage for a while being off but would rather have a job and have an option to return to
Something, rather than nothing after maternity leave. Plus I want to be going to interviews before I start hugely showing so I can get in before it's too late.

I could do consultancy stuff, I've done bits before but it's not a regular income like a salaried job.

My partner is on a nightshift tonight he'll be back at 5am and tomorrow dd and I are going on a day out with friends to let him sleep x

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