Voluntary redundancy and maternity leave

lamblamb1

Hi all, i wonderif anyone can help me.

I am currently on maternity leave which started on July 23rd 09. All our company has been offered voluntary redundancy and we all have a different sum depending on years in service. My sum is £22 000 to leave the company at the end of Dec 09.

I have been advised though that if i take it they will take off all of my company maternity pay that i would have been paid of £4677. (This is because i havnt been back to work for the mandatory month).

My question is can they do this, as i'm not quitting work - i am taking voluntary redundancy. Also will i still get my statutory maternity pay up til April 2010? And if so how is that payable?

If anyone can help it would be appreciated.
Thanks,

jazzyman01

You are applying for voluntary redundancy. Clearly this should not impact on any maternity pay that you have currently received (or do they expect current employees applying to pay back their salary for the same period).

lamblamb1

The problem is when on maternity leave you have to come back to work for a month to ensure all your company pay stands. So as i cant return for a month (if i take voluntary redundancy) they will take back all my maternity company pay. I just dont think its fair though as i cant actually return to work. Also if i did return just for December then i would lose all future statutory maternity pay so its a no win situation!

getmore4less

Ask if you can have a redundancy termination date in the future so you don't lose the money

RabbitMad

Seems fair to me - If it was compulsary redundancy then it wouldn't be fair, but as you are voluntering to go then they set the rules and the rule is you pay back any company maternity pay if you don't go back.

However is £4,677 the amount of maternity pay over and above SMP between July and Dec? If so have they taken into account Tax and NI that you have paid on that or is that the net amount you have received?