Can someone please advise me re temp contracts and maternity pay

[memoo]

I am employed on a 12 month fixed term contract at a primary school. This would be renewed in september but I am pregnant and will be starting maternity leave end of August.

I have no idea how my temp contract affects my maternity leave and pay though

My contract ends on 31st August and I will probably start my maternity leave on the 24th August, so one weeks before end of contract.

Can anyone tell me if this will affect my leave and/or pay?

tia xx

The fact that you are on a temporary contract doesn't affect your SMP. Your entitlement to SMP is based on length of service, so you will get it for 39 weeks, even if you leave employment during your maternity leave.

If your employer offers more than SMP, which I imagine they probably do, you will need to check their maternity policy to find out what the terms and conditions are for that.

Firstly, don't be surprised whether what would be a straightforward renewal now turns into 'we've realised that the needs of our children have changed and we're changing the job so you'd need to reapply' now that you're pregnant. Sorry, but given that they don't need to tell you whether you have a job until at least May or June, it's possible. All perfectly legal, unless you've got it in writing that they will renew your contract or they don't renew it and employ someone else under exactly the same terms (e.g. same hours, same level of responsibility).

Pay-wise, as the others have said, you're entitled to SMP but you won't get any maternity pay as your contract ends during your maternity leave. If you haven't a job to return to then you can't claim maternity pay.

If you're in a union, go to their website and there will be information on your 'Burgundy Book' (pay and conditions) entitlement and sets out what you need to do about applying to the LEA for SMP.

If you want them to renew it, make it clear that you intend to return to work after maternity leave and get in there first. Hope that they do renew it, good luck.

Thanks for the advice, its a bit weight of my mind to know i'll get SMP.

I have already asked my boss about it but the answers I get are a bit vague. I have a meeting with her next week so its good to know what I'm entitled too before I meet with her

A headteacher being vague about staffing - surely not !

Good luck with the meeting