Maternity FT to PT

[Crispycremedelight]

I work in Payroll and we were asked for advice on the following scenario but I can’t find the actual HMRC guidelines (where this scenario is spelled out) so was hoping someone would know where I could find them!

A lady is pregnant and FT during the QW , they go PT at the point of Maternity Leave. Do we only have to pay the FT for the first 6 weeks and then back to her normal PT salary during the OMP period or do we have to pay FT salary for the whole OMP period?

I can’t find clear cut information and the query has been asked by an employee who works in HR so can’t ask them 😂

The qualifying week is the 15th week before the baby is due. You look at eight weeks salary (including the last pay day before the end of the qualifying week) prior to this to make the average. If she was full time during these two pay days then you pay full time.

That's pretty standard payroll knowledge

She was FT prior to ml and crucially during the Qualifying Period so her maternity pay is based on that. PT pay only starts afterwards.

And it may depend on any rules of the Occupational Maternity Pay scheme over and above SMP. The package and any conditions has to be stated in writing up front to employee.

Why would she go PT at the point of maternity leave? Surely she goes PT at the point she returns?

I came back PT after and all my ML was paid at full time because as a pp said I qualified during the 15th week before I was due.

No understand that but that’s only for SMP part. Our T&Cs are you receive full pay for the first 26 weeks, then SMP only up to 39weeks and then AML. What I want to know is that after the initial 6 weeks period do we pay FT or PT salary-does that make sense? The employee is changing her Hours and not being forced by the company

@TheLovleyChebbyMcGee

I came back PT after and all my ML was paid at full time because as a pp said I qualified during the 15th week before I was due.

At what point did you go part time? Before maternity leave or when you came back from maternity leave. The person is currently FT and wants to go part time before her maternity leave but after 15th week?

Found it, I got my knickers in a right old twist, it’s a situation that when questioned you think about it and get yourself in a right mess questioning everything and when someone else says ‘no it’s this’, you question yourself. Thanks for the responses they did actually help me get my head round it 🤣

Pay your OMP to contract. This particular scenario probably isn't covered exactly but if it just says Full Pay for so many weeks, I'd base that Full Pay on the PT hours.

Is that clear?

My official return date was after 10 months. I then 'worked' full time, but wasnt actually in because it was to use up 8 weeks of AL, then after those 8 weeks I started back 3 days a week instead of 5.

My official switch date to part time was the Monday of the week I came in to work.