occupational maternity pay - elegibility

[cloclo76]

I'm about to start a new job. DH and I have agreed to ttc after the probation period. I have not been sent the new job's maternity policy (in my experience most companies don't send you that information when you join them)so I wonder how long did you have to work for a company to qualify for their occupational maternity pay or maternity package. I welcome your comments.

It varies, not all companies enhance above smp anyway. Some will after a period of say 6 months , some only at certain job levels. You'll really have to ask up front if it is that important to you otherwise assume smp only and you won't be disappointed.

Thank you LIZS, I guess I will have to ask them up from. Why don't they send you that information with the contract?!

They should send you that information when you start, or have it accessible on the intranet. If they don't, I'd ask for a copy of the handbook rather than specifically the maternity policy. Less obvious...

It is not clear whether you are referring to Statutory Maternity Pay or Enhanced, which would depend on your employer's polidy. As a HR professional, I would highly recommend you refer to ACAS anyway. You can either check on their website, or call their helpline for independent advice on 0845 7 474747

Wendy - the OP says occupational pay and 'maternity package', so she's definitely not talking about SMP. ACAS won't be able to tell her anything other than the stuff we've said about ways of finding out the company's policy.

cloclo was definitely asking about occupational maternity pay, and the employer themselves would be the only reliable source of information about that.

As an aside, I have to say Wendy I do disagree with you about ACAS being a reliable source of accurate information about maternity benefits. ACAS are great for some things, mediation/dismissal situations particularly, and their guidance booklets are good. But too often on here posters report back having been given inconsistent or inaccurate advice by ACAS advisors on their helpline. One poster fairly recently was told by ACAS that she was not entitled to accrue holiday during her maternity leave, for example, advice which would have cost her hundreds of pounds had she followed it.

So for a reliable, up to date and accurate source of information I'd personally recommend government websites, with directgov being the easiest to understand.

I just wanted to put the record straight. cloco76 hasn't been sent any maternity policy, so noone would know if she would get enhanced or Statutory maternity allowances.

I did not suggest ACAS as a reliable source, I just think it's a better way of getting advice than asking other mums, and agree that advice has been a bit sketchy from ACAS in the past on complicated topics I've dealt with.

However, you do accrue holiday entitlement/pay during statutory maternity leave, so am not sure what flowerybeanbag mean't in her post yesterday. You just have to watch going into a new holiday year, as you're not automatically entitled to carry it over.

Wendy, ahem, just so you know, Flowery and I are both professionals in the HR field too, and most long-term posters know that. I don't know about LizS

No, we don't specifically know if there is an enhanced package, but Liz had already told the OP that not every company enhances above SMP. The subsequent responses were following on from that awareness.

Flowery's point in the post yesterday was that ACAS sometimes/often give duff advice. She knows full well you accrue holiday. We both suggest ACAS from time to time, but they are not always reliable, and maternity rights seems to be a shaky area based on some people on here's experiences.

I take your point about taking professional advice, but what exactly do you think ACAS could have said that the people on here couldn't?

I'm not sure there was a record that needed to be put straight really Wendy. You weren't sure whether cloclo was asking about how to find out about SMP or about any enhanced occupational scheme her potential employer might offer. I actually think it was fairly clear she wanted to know how to find out if the employer offered anything over and above SMP and how to find out about it.

Apologies if I misunderstood your post with regard to ACAS. If you in fact think ACAS aren't a reliable source that's fine, I agree with you and obviously we can only speak as we find. I'm afraid I did assume you felt they were reliable on maternity pay as you were recommending the OP ring them to enquire about it.

Apologies also if my own post was not clear. I am fully aware that holiday accrues during mat leave. My point was that a poster on a previous thread being advised inaccurately by ACAS that she did not accrue holiday demonstrates that in my view they are not reliable, at least on their helpline.

OP You need to speak to your employer/ look it up on the company intranet - your employer is the only person who knows.

FWIW My work prides itself on its "family friendly policies" as far as I can tell they give you the bare minimum as required by law plus make childcare vouchers available.

Sorry, totally agree with you guys, I just think it's not clear and not sure anyone should be asking for or giving any advice in this way, including me. Hence I didn't and referred to ACAS! I feel that without a conversation between the original poster & 'adviser' to get a full picture of the situation, it would be difficult to offer useful hard answers/facts that were of benefit to them in their situation.