Will I be able to claim Maternity Allowance in this scenario?

[Bakerwell]

Let’s say I have been working at my existing job for a couple of years, four days a week. I will receive my first six months of maternity at full pay before dropping down.

I then start a two year contract working elsewhere for one day a week. I am already two months pregnant when I start the job and so I will not be entitled to SMP.

Will I be entitled to MA through the second employer? Or, does the fact I am receiving some maternity pay from my first employer cancel out my eligibility to MA?

Are you working for both employers during your pregnancy?

Yes, sorry I didn’t make that very clear!

Currently I am working for employer one five days a week. The offer on the table is to cut that down to four days and to begin a two year contract with employer two, for one day a week. But I would be two months pregnant when that started.

I’m trying to work out how much maternity pay I’ll lose by taking the new job. It’s a great opportunity but I don’t know if we’ll be able to afford the drop in maternity pay.

MA is paid as a benefit, you can't get it if you're entitled to SMP through an employer which I should imagine you are if you're receiving occupational maternity pay.

Thank you. I thought that might be the case.

Such a shame that I will have to turn down this opportunity! We have budgeted for maternity leave on the basis of having six months’ full pay for a five day week. We can’t afford to pay the mortgage if this goes down to six months of just four days a week pay.

Gutted!

worksmart.org.uk/work-rights/family-friendly-work/maternity-leave/ive-got-two-part-time-jobs-do-i-get-maternity-pay

From the above website, you can claim 2 lots of SMP, but not 2 lots of MA or a combination of SMP and MA

maternityaction.org.uk/advice/rights-for-parents-with-more-than-one-job/

According to this you won't be able to claim MA for the 2nd job as you will have qualified for SMP in your first job

Why don't you ask can you start the second job at a later date and make sure it's after the date at which your SMP/mat pay is calculated? Iyswim

She would need to start the other job before getting pregnant in order to qualify for SMP

Or does PP mean start the job after the 25th week of pregnancy? Depends when the qualifying weeks are for enhanced maternity pay I suppose - check your contract OP. Qualifying weeks for SMP are roughly weeks 17-25 of pregnancy

@dementedpixie that's what I mean yeah, I was thinking if she gave up the fifth day after qualifying for SMP then it doesn't make a difference to mat leave? Is my thinking right?

In theory I would be starting the second job while already two months pregnant. It wouldn’t be possible to delay it. It’s a bloody shame as the opportunities in job two don’t come around very often.