on Maternity Leave but pregnant again - help!

maestromiddy

Hi all
It's my first time so be nice :-)

My son is almost 9 months old and my maternity leave runs out NEXT WEEK. I work for the NHS and have JUST moved jobs (ie, resigned from one and been appointed by the other, rather than transferred) from one hospital to another more local hospital. I don't start my new job until next month, where I'll be working 15 hours per week (rather than my previous 37.5). This would have all been straightforward, had I not found myself very newly pregnant and due in September :-s

I urgently need to know:
-Will I be entitled to Maternity Allowance/SMP/OMP this time around? Does the fact that it will still be the NHS count as 'continous service' or does it have to be the same actual workplace?
- does the whole "as long as you have been working continuosly for 26 weeks before the 15th week of expected date of childbirth" include SMP as "working"?
-Are there any other benefits available?

Any help would be so much appreciated!

K x

elaina79

Hi I am new here as well.

Technically speaking you are with the same employer just at a different location so it should be counted as continually working. You have still been employed as well while you were on maternity leave so you will be able to go back on maternity leave again when the time is right.

You will also be able to claim the Health in Pregnancy Grant which is a payment of £190 reguardless of your income.

Congrats on the pregnancy, hope all goes well.

elaina79

Sorry forgot the link for the grant

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Expectingorbringingupchildren/HealthinPregnancyGrant/DG_173502

notlongnow_2

I have worked for different areas of the NHS and on my A/L form it states how many years continuous service I have had. BUT, if I moved from one place, applied for another job still for the NHS I am sure this would count as a completely different job change. i think they only acru the continuous service years so they can give you £100 in vouchers and take you out for a free bar/slap up meal when you have done 25yrs..lol (they do in the Trust I work for)

kayla99

As long as you are working for the NHS, continuous service is continuous service, no matter what trust you work for.

Kay

Rachel83

There was a similar post a while back a man saying that his wife swapped Trusts mid pregnancy and they refused her statutory maternity pay. Not sure on that outcome and i cant find the previous post to link it. i would have thought if they say that you arn't entitled to that, that you would still be able to claim MA which is 90% of your pay for 39 weeks i believe as long as you have been employed for i think its 26/66 weeks running up to your pregnancy.

I'm guessing you've been paid SMP for the 1st baby so that should class as employment, its just a case of sorting out with your employer wether your money will be paid as SMP or MA. Both should equal the same rate of pay if your only going to work part time anyway. (90%) as long as you earn over £92 a week.

maestromiddy

thanks for that...it's reassuring. I feel pretty guilty about only working for my new employer for only a few months before taking another 9 months off...but I guess life happens and hey, I paid my taxes and NI so I earned it!

I'm still unsure whether I'll be entitled to the full whack maternity pay package I got last time (6 weeks 90% pay, then 20 weeks SMP+OMP then 12 weeks just SMP).

Cheers anyway!
K x

Rachel83

If your only going back part time i doubt you will get the full package as you need to work full time for that and you also need to meet the criteria working for your employer 26 weeks before into the 15th week before babys due ie you need to have worked for them for 26 weeks before you are 25 weeks pregnant. They might contest that as you resigned from one trust and aplied to a second, and you haven't yet started that job.

but part time you should definatly atleast get MA providing you earn above a certain amout. The other think about MA is that you take the best paid 26 weeks out of your 66 weeks and they work out payment on that i believe.

Spirit_2

The NHS will count your service as continuous and you will be entitled to Occupational Maternity pay which is what you have had during your present mat leave. It will be based on the average of your pay in the 13 weeks prior to your commencing you next mat leave, so will be based on you new 15 hours per week job.

Good luck

Rachel83

Even if you have resigned from one job and dont start the next one for a further month?

Spirit_2

Usually on returning to NHS employment, a previous period of
NHS service will be counted towards an employee’s
entitlement to occupational maternity leave where the break has been of

12 months or less.

A gap of a month would be continuous.