Maternity leave will owe money if i don't go back to job

katglasgow

Yes I agree, my maternity leave was planned and I had plenty of time to consider my options. I chose to take the extra leave and therefore I think it is only right that I keep my end of the bargain and return to work as I said I would. If you were able to just change your mind and not return but keep the extra money then it would also be very unfair on the women who were hoest with theirt employers from the beginning and said they wouldnt be returning to work as they will only have been eligble for the basic SMP.

Viper_7

MrsTine wrote: »

And THAT is sexual discrimination

More to the point would you rather that all women became 100% dependant on either their partner or the state?
I fully intend to return to work after having a child, but there is any number of unknown factors that might come into play and I might not want/be able to return to work. Why should I be penalised for being the one who has ovaries & a womb to carry children?
However I have very carefully checked my T & Cs to make sure I know exactly where I stand and what choices I have when or should I say IF we fall pregnant.

As a MAN, why do I receive nothing to bring up my child.
If I stay at home to bring up my child I would receive less than a woman would and does.
As a Father why if my wife cheats on me and goes off that I have to pay for her and my child and also have no access?
See it every day. This sexual discrimination card is old and is now being used as a weapon against men and society and that's really the sexual discrimination that is going on.

RoxieW

So the OP's worked there for 6 years and has had 7 weeks maternity pay. Hardly excessive is it Viper? I doubt she's bringing the business to its knees! If she's worked there 6 years I think she's fully entitled to take her maternity pay, then if she wants to move jobs why not? She doesn't owe them anything - she's just had what she is legally due. You wouldn't tell a man on sick pay that he should pay it back should he decide to move jobs in the future.
OP, check your t and c's - you may have to return for a short time before changing jobs in order to not have to repay. But don't feel bad about this, Take what's rightfully yours and do whats best for you and your family.

surreysaver

Viper_7 wrote: »

I know you've been there for 6 years, but it should be a condition that if you don't go back, then you have to pay them back at least 50%

Vipes

Most companies do make you pay back everything over the SMP amount if you don't go back for a certain amount of time. You must remember that companies that provide pay in addition to what the Government demands are providing a contractual benefit to women which men do not receive. There has not yet been a test case under the Equal Pay Act over this issue. The day there is, you may find that Company Maternity Pay is withdrawn, and women (and men when/if the Government introduces transferrable maternity leave and pay) will end up getting less whilst on Maternity Leave than they do now.

surreysaver

curly_em wrote: »

I am currently on SMP rate had 7 weeks full pay and 6 weeks 90% pay. I have worked there for 6 years but don't really want to go back its a 40 mile round trip to work and with the price of petrol going up all the while i am looking for work closer to home.
So how would i stand if i don't go back will i have to pay them money back or is every company different so i will need to ask them

TIA

You will have to check your contract. By law, you are entitled to 90% pay for 6 weeks, and £118ish per week for the next 33 weeks after that, which you do not have to repay. Anything over this amount you may have to pay some/all of. You might not have to pay any back. Depends on your employer. Depends how long you stay for after you return from Maternity Leave. And don't forget that if you have outstanding annual leave or Parental Leave remaining, you can be technically returned from Maternity Leave, without actually being at work! Or what if you take annual leave and Parental Leave, go back to work for a little while while your OH takes some annual leave and Parental Leave - you may find that you are able to 'return' from Maternity Leave for a minimum period without actually having to put your baby into childcare.

surreysaver

Viper_7 wrote: »

Why didn't you tell your employer you wouldn't be going back? Ah yes you wanted the maternity pay. Using the system to your advantage.

There is no need for an employee on Maternity Leave to contact their employer if they are returning to work at the end of the 52 weeks ML (other than to arrange return to work details). They only need to contact their employer 8 weeks before they return if they want to come back sooner (or alter a previously advised date). Or if they don't want to return to work, they just need to give their employer the notice as stated in their contract of employment. And its no good blaming women for this - if you want to blame someone it is the electorate that voted this Government in - i.e. yourself. Personally I am all for it - and the sooner women have the right to transfer any Maternity Leave they don't want to use to their OH the better - then employers cannot say they don't want to employ women for Maternity Leave reasons as that excuse will be obselete as men will be taking Maternity Leave as well. And its not using the system to their advantage - parents today are bringing up the children that will be paying your pension in the future.

MrsTinks

Hear hear surrey
Viper I don't think that it's right that men don't get the same options - but that doesn't mean that it makes it right to penalise women! I work in a professional invironment and earn a pretty good salary - I'd be happy to return to work after the legal period I have to be off when I have our children if my husband could stay at home with the child/children. Sadly we would probably loose our house as I don't earn anywhere near what he does and we can't afford that loss in income.
When I used to run my own staff of 20+ I had guys off on paternity leave and I would bend backwards to make sure they got time with their wives and kids.
I hate knowing that I have been turned away from jobs because I am a "woman of childbearing age" and knowing I am more qualified than the person they have offered the job to then I can only assume that it's because they didn't want to risk me going off on maternity leave. Something that is very upsetting as at the time I had NO plans on starting a family!

Bitsy_Beans

Viper_7 wrote: »

I'm stating a fact and my opinion. It is a open forum after all.

Why didn't you tell your employer you wouldn't be going back? Ah yes you wanted the maternity pay. Using the system to your advantage.

I see this every day, there is a woman out our place of work who is now on her 4th child and she must have only bene in the office for about 6 months in the past few years and has received full salary. she's just playing the system like a lot of people do and costing businesses a fortune.

and what fact is there in this statement? The OP has worked and paid her taxes and is therefore eligible for SMP. It's got nothing to do with her employer. If the woman in your office is on full pay then she is most likely tied into a load agreement for X number of years so whillst you think she's having it easy she will have to pay her dues at some point. I did with my company. I had nearly full pay for 6 months but it was treated as a loan and if I chose not to return I had to repay the loan amount. After 2 YEARS of returning to the company the loan amount was then written off. I know of no employer that pays full salary without locking the employee into a loan agreement. So women are hardly abusing the system are they? I appreciate getting pregnant is a financial burden on small companies but since I don't make the employment law I can hardly change that. No need to rant and rave at pregnant women due to that.

Oh and by the way if we all stop having kids because you are bitter about the fact that we get £117 a week to live on who's going to pay the taxes when you and I are in old age? By all means find a way of men having the babies and you can have a go at it.

In answer to OP unless you made to sign a loan agreement for your pay then it shouldn't be re-payable.

daphne_descends

Ignore Viper 7, he is a misogynist. And he loves forgetting that the government pay the employer 104% of SMP...

Viper if you want to carry my baby for 9 months, have the morning sickness, the heartburn and the SPD, get fat, and covered in stretchmarks and give birth for me then you can have my maternity pay.

onlyroz

Viper_7 wrote: »

As a MAN, why do I receive nothing to bring up my child.
If I stay at home to bring up my child I would receive less than a woman would and does.
As a Father why if my wife cheats on me and goes off that I have to pay for her and my child and also have no access?
See it every day. This sexual discrimination card is old and is now being used as a weapon against men and society and that's really the sexual discrimination that is going on.

Actually, Viper, the law is changing, so that from 2010 men will be able to take up the unused (and paid) maternity leave of their partners. So don't pull out the sexual discrimination card unless you know what you're talking about.