Maternity leave on a FTC

[roarfeckingroar]

Hi everyone

Just found out I'm pregnant. I'm on a 6 month FTC, due to finish end of June. There's lots of talk about keeping me on if possible, I love the job, I'm very career focussed and pregnancy wasn't planned; I would certainly go back after mat leave.

My EDD is mid October. The company policy states that so long as you've worked for 26 weeks before the 15th week before your EDD (would work out as mid July) you're eligible. However, I may not even be here then.

Does anyone have any advice re:

1. Am I eligible for maternity benefits?
2. How to broach with my lovely, female manager when it comes to extending contract. She knows I want to stay and she is trying to find a way too at present but obviously I haven't mentioned pregnancy.

Thank you

If you’re still employed by 15 weeks before due date you’ll be entitled to SMP even if your employment ends after that. I would suggest getting confirmation of your extension prior to telling your manager about your pregnancy if possible. However lovely and female a manager is (although it helps) unfortunately that doesn’t guarantee that your pregnancy would be ignored when deciding about extending your contract. It should be, but you can’t guarantee it, and proving they would have otherwise might be tricky.