In an absolute pickle regarding pregnancy and job situation

[olimpia32]

Hi everyone .

I recently accepted an offer of a new job. The job is great career progression and is still part time 3 days fitting in nicely for life with our toddler .

I have just found out I am pregnant . At the company I am with I would be eligible for their enhanced mat leave package which is 8 weeks full pay, 3 months of half price plus statutory, 3 months of statutory and 3 months unpaid . Conditions are you have to return for a period of 12 months or you have to pay it back .

If I went to do the other job ( 3 months notice and haven't got start date yet! So potentially could be 4-5 months pregnant when I start) I would therefore only get the maternity allowance which I believe is £132.I am not a high earned and earn around £20k part time 25 hours per week.

If I left on the plus side I would have a better job to return to , the downside is if I stay where I am I will basically be committing to them for antler 3 years - this year whilst pregnant then year mat leave a year I must return .

Has anyone been in a similar situation?
I would really appreciate some advice !

Thank you

Have you handed your notice in yet?

No not yet as I haven't had a start date

I'd be very careful, if they have you on a 3 month probabation and you needed time off for medical appointments or if you felt unwell and wanted mat leave from 8 months then you may not pass probation and have the job to return to.

what will your salary be in your new job after maternity compared to your old job?

In this situation I'd stick with the current job but it all depends if you like it and your reasons for leaving

@Tellto current job £30 k full time
New job 33 k full time

Pro rata
Current job 25 hours - 19,800 k
New job 22.5 hours ( due to unpaid breaks ) so around the same- less pay though due to loss to loss of weekend enhancements

@20viona I absolutely hate my current job .

Also have to take into account there is around 1 hour drive to new job and current role is WFH

In all honesty I would stay in your current job.

You're a known quantity to them and you probably have some idea how women on maternity are treated at your current company.

The new company is a risk - they could try and push you out once they know you are pregnant and there's no extra maternity pay so you'd probably feel pressure to go back to work earlier.

I think if you do the sums staying in your current job may not be much less financially than your new one over three years, assuming you plan to take a year's maternity leave.

@AOwlAOwlAOwl I know I am starting to think I will have to stay. I have had difficulties tbh with my current job when I returned they have always been awkward with shifts - will not offer fixed days for childcare. I really don't want to stay. The new job have already said they can offer fixed set shifts for childcare it is within the nhs

@AOwlAOwlAOwl sorry meant to say they have offered me fixed days for current child ( we have a 2 year old)

Stay put. The chances of your new employer being unimpressed to find you’re pregnant and managing you out very quickly are high. Unfortunate but true and you have very little come back if an employer gets rid of you very soon after starting. The one hour commute for a small pay rise as well, absolutely not. For security in a pandemic, stay put and although you hate the job you will have mat leave and can then reassess. If possible I would aim to save the enhanced pay so that you can pay it back and leave before 12 months if another opportunity comes up.

Thank you @WhateverJudy I appreciate this!

A new job with the NHS is surely fairly bomb proof? Good employers wouldn’t hold pregnancy against you. The NHS being the last one to do this!!

My friend found out she was pregnant just before she started with a major retailer in a well paid management role. 1 week before! She spoke to them and offered to withdraw. They wanted her and she had the maternity leave she was entitled to. Could you negotiate? Lots of decent employers wouldn’t rescind the offer or manage you out.

Swings and roundabouts. You might hate the job but it enables you to have a family that presumably/hopefully brings you joy. And 3 years is not that long in the grand scheme of things.

Especially as one of those years you won't be in the workplace!

I was going to say stay put, but if the new job is something you'd prefer after maternity leave then I'd take it and take the loss of maternity pay. I think it's unlikely that the nhs will screw you over because you're pregnant, though there's no guarantees of course.

Having said that, are you sure you want to work an hour from home when you have two under three and the option of a wfh job?

Surely you'll end up spending the extra money on commuting ? an hour each way is a lot with two small children.
I'd stay then look for something else after your mat leave has finished.

Yes although the job isn't much more on paper there is scope for progression. My current job is very dead end from a clinical perspective. There's chance in this one to do nurse prescribing and more training opportunities.

I know @3rdNamechange it is a worry juggling the 2 with an hour commute . My partner also has an hour commute

He would happily give up his job to be stay at home dad ( he earns less than me) but I have always worked parked time since having toddler as iv missed him when I'm at work , I had a lot of anxieties at leaving him so part time is enough .

@olimpia32

Yes although the job isn't much more on paper there is scope for progression. My current job is very dead end from a clinical perspective. There's chance in this one to do nurse prescribing and more training opportunities.

Always jobs in nursing. Something else will come up. Nurse prescribing is a bit of a slog as well.

@3rdNamechange I hope so. I had been unsuccessful in a couple of interviews for the nurse specialist role . They didn't like the fact I had been office based for a few years . I feel I was really lucky to be offered this clinical nurse specialist job and worried about declining it.

True , it’s tricky.

I may call and be honest as the manager does seem a fair person. However I don't think it's appropriate to call before my scan which is weeks away as I am very very early days . I could be honest and ask if they would keep me on file until after my maternity if there was a post maybe .