Maternity and sick leave

[wellletshavealookshallwe]

I've been off work couple months now sick leave, will be going back to work next week. I'm 21 weeks pregnant but have been told I may not be getting maternity pay as I haven't been there long enough, I've had this new job for a year then been off sick for 2 months with leg injury. Is this right concerning maternity pay?

You have been there long enough to get SMP. Your SMP is calculated using the pay in weeks 17-25 of pregnancy. Do you get statutory sick pay or full sick pay?

Depending on what you’ve been paid whilst off sick your average earnings may not be enough to qualify for SMP.

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

To qualify forSMPyou must:

• earn on average at least £116 a week
• give thecorrect notice
• giveproof you’re pregnant
• have worked for your employercontinuously for at least 26 weeks continuing into the ‘qualifying week’ - the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth

Pixie it may be a different (earlier) period depending on whether weekly or monthly pay and pay dates.