Maternity Information

[Faultymain5]

Not for me as I'm way past all that.

However, "a friend" works in a housing group, and in her 2016 handbook, she is told anything relating to Maternity/Paternity, should be raised with the CEO. However, there were full details given in her colleague's 2011 handbook (which the 2016 handbook supersedes).

Should they not have this where staff can find it easier rather than having to speak to their CEO about this subject before they necessarily want anyone to know. It's obviously a small company which also has no HR function.

Is it actually legal to require them to speak to the CEO about their pregnancy before they legally have to to qualify for SMP?

I’d just send an email requesting to receive the policy. They don’t have to say why, although I agree it will be obvious but she could just be planning on having a baby in the future?

She hasn't worked there 2 years yet. 5 more months.

She's not sure how far gone she is. we're working with a date from mid-March, giving her about 11 or 12 weeks already. She can't get a hospital appointment prior to 24th June (which is crazy but a story for another forum)

That’s really odd, we have parental leave info in our contracts and a detailed policy available on our intranet.

Legal protections for maternity kick in when you tell your employer you are pregnant regardless of whether you have been there two years or not. She would be best off dropping HR an email and asking for a copy of the maternity policy, whether the CEO is listed in the handbook or not they should have a copy to share with her.

Sorry just saw the bit about no hr function. In that case she will just have to ask the CEO for a copy. She doesn't have to tell them why, but as I said maternity protections are in place regardless of length of service.

Thanks, appreciate that. I will let her know.

There's no requirement for an employer to have a maternity policy, or have any of this written down, although most do, and they can nominate whoever they like as being the person women planning on taking maternity leave need to contact.

She will qualify for SMP based on her earnings and length of service, it's got nothing to do with having to speak to anyone at an early stage. If she wants information about her maternity entitlements, it's all available on the gov.uk website, including when she has to notify her employer.

She will qualify for SMP based on her earnings and length of service, it's got nothing to do with having to speak to anyone at an early stage. If she wants information about her maternity entitlements, it's all available on the gov.uk website, including when she has to notify her employer.

Thanks Flowery. It's a bit different I imagine if it's enhanced maternity though which is all I'm used to so, I thought i'd better ask, as it doesn't sound right.

If there's enhanced maternity entitlement then the employer would be able to set terms and conditions for that, but those would normally be again length of service related, or occasionally seniority. There wouldn't be a condition about revealing the pregnancy by a certain date or anything.

If there's not a maternity policy it's best to assume it will be statutory only.

Given that 25% of women have problems with work when they announce a pregnancy (I was fired) tell your friend to make sure she has family legal insurance on her house insurance, before she tells her employer anything.
That will then cover her legal costs if they do react badly. £15 saved me a year’s salary. And make sure she does everything by email so it’s timed & dated. Then copy the email to her personal account.

Sorry, I know that sounds cynical but best to protect herself.

@Seniorschoolmum Not cynical at all. I used to work for a law firm, and if you ever read the lengths companies go to to get rid of you.

Unfortunately, because I'm weary from these experiences, people think I'm cynical.