return to work maternity bonuses

[weesquaw]

I have a similar prob - whereby I was refused the maternity bonus

he full wording was
If you have at least 2 years continous service at the 11th week before the expected week of childbirth you will be entitled to recieve a maternity bonus upon your return to work.

i had 2 years service by by EDD and by the time my son was born - but not by the 11th week....seems very unfair...as the only reason they have used the 11 week thing is that is the date by which you are apparently entitled to maternity pay - but you don't require 2 years service to be entitled to that...only 26 weeks continuous service??? so where are they getting off on this stupid policy...

Isn't the 11th week before edd the earliest you can start ml , so the timing has got some statutory basis ? There has to be a cut off somewhere and presumably you could have checked the policy prior to becoming pg if it was so important.

Why is it unfair? Sounds as though the terms and conditions of the bonus scheme were clear, and it's not as if you just missed the cut-off by a week or two or anything, you were quite a way off.

The 11th week before is the first date you can start maternity leave, so what they are doing is making sure that anyone who qualifies has actually been at work for at least two years before they qualify. The fact that you need less service to qualify for SMP which is paid by the government is nothing to do with it. Your employer is enhancing SMP with a bonus for employees who have been working there a bit longer.

Regardless of that, they have to have a cut-off somewhere, and doing so is not a 'stupid policy'. For service-related maternity (and other) benefits there will always be some people who just miss out, that's life. I appreciate you are frustrated, but I can't see in any way how that's your employer's fault tbh.