STRANGE SCENARIO

[horseshoe]

OK so this is the question....

You go on MAT leave intending to take a year off. within 3 months you have concieved again and the date you were intending to return to work...turns out to be new babies due date.....would you be entitled to another years MAT Leave????

Not for me might I add but if you are entitled and it was me.....I'd take it.

I think you'd have to return to work first at an earlier date than intended.

For SMP the basic rule is that you must be employed continuously by the same employer for 26 weeks before the qualifying week (qw is the 15th week before the week the baby is due). Pregnancy and maternity leave do not break your employment, so you continue to be employed whilst on mat leave. Under these circumstances, the answer is yes, you would be entitled to SMP. If your employment contract provides more generous terms, you would need to check the contract to see if the same applies.