Help! Will I be entitled to full maternity pay if I have just returned from Mat leave?

[BlameItOnTheBogey]

Help! I've just found out I am pregnant. A HUGE, huge surprise (DS was a fertility treatment baby after many years of trying). I have literally just gone back to work. My work has a great maternity package but the rules say that to qualify for the enhanced package I need to have been continuously employed for the company for at least a year at the point I start my Mat leave. Does additional maternity leave count as continuous employment or is it just statutory maternity leave which counts?

Gulp - I really hope I qualify or we are screwed.....

Mat leave does count as continuous employment, AFAIK.

Thanks tigger. I know that the statutory 6 months does but beyond that I'm not so sure. I'm in the civil service if this helps anyone reading....

Ahem. Small bump sorry.

yes maternity leave counts for continuous service

Statutory maternity leave is a year, it's just that you don't get SMP for all of it. And yes, it all counts as continuous service.

However I would read the rules of your enahnced package very carefully to make sure it doesn't say you must have been physically at work for a year, or earning x amount for x period of time or similar. For enhanced packages they can basically put whatever rules they like so do read them with a fine toothcomb. If all it says is continuous service, you should be fine.

Thanks everyone; the language just says continuously employed by the department for a year at the pt of starting mat leave so looks like I am in the clear (phew!)

Sorry to hijack your thread but I have a very similar question which hopefully someone here may be able to answer. I work for Jobcentre Plus but have been on career break for a couple of years now. I'm expecting to return to work in the next couple of months and wondered if anyone knows how long I would have to be back at work before I would be entitled to paid mat leave? I had to take unpaid mat leave with DD as I was on unpaid special leave when I fell pregnant so didn't qualify.