Help! JUST found out I'm pregnant and being made redundant by the Government!!

GeorgiaMB

Hi Guys,

Need some advice. Ok, so current situation is that I work for a large Government Quango (not sure if I can say which one, so I won't so safety's sake). In June we were told it would be closed by the end of March 2011, making all of us redundant.

Currently we are in the 90 day consultation period and nobody has received their redundancy notice yet. Nobody is sure if we will get this as soon as the consultation period ends (20th Sept), or if they will leave it a while before deciding. The company are doing EVERYTHING by the book (they have to as the media are scrutinising us soooo closely!) so we've had written letters in time etc. Though some of us knew we were being shut down before we were officially told as the stupid media leaked it... NICE.

Everyone is job hunting and my boss is leaving in 2/3 weeks for his new job.

Yesterday I found out I am pregnant with my fiance's bub. No way we are getting rid, so please don't even mention it. Baby is due April 13th 2011. Ironically, I am intending on leaving work in Sept 2011 to go to university full time. Even though I am pregnant, my plan to do that has not changed. It may sound crazy, but I am on low wages at the moment and it's the best way to secure my baby's future. Fortunately the uni I'm looking at offers subsidised childcare to mature students and my fiance works from home so childcare isn't really an issue. It'll be hard, but we both have very supportive families and we've been through worse (wedding planning, job hunting, studying for my course to get into uni and now baby planning as well.... give me strength!)

What are my rights with my current employer? Should I tell them? Not tell them? My boss is exceptionally supportive (the kind of guy you know that if you weren't boss and employee you'd be mates). What am I entitled to from them? Before you ask, I'm NOT entitled to any redundancy payout as I have only been there since November last year. As they are not due to close till March, I could beg them to keep me on till then!! Though that won't really happen as it's supposed to be a phased shut down with only minimal people on the staff books come the new year.

I am also looking for a new job. What am I obliged to tell my new employer (if anything?)? If I don't mention I'm pregnant at interview, could there be any backlash when they hire me and THEN find out? What would I be entitled to (if anything) from them? Can I fib and say I didn't know I was pregnant till AFTER I was hired? (I'm not sure this last one is an option as if I'm correct, the midwife should give me a certificate of when my baby is due, to give to my employer which will be clearly signed and dated Aug 2010, correct? Any chance I could ask her to leave off the date of signing??!)

At this moment in time, I am so frustrated that I am honestly thinking that the government are making me redundant so stuff 'em, I will just go on JSA till after the baby is born and easily prevent myself being hired by telling any potential employers that I'm pregnant! Trouble is, JSA and housing benefit wouldn't even cover my outgoings.

I also have a IVA in place at the moment with William Goldberg. They've been really good and my payments are easy to manage. I've been paying into the scheme for about a year now, possibly longer (will have to check the papers). However, with this hanging over me, I need to reduce the amount I pay down even though it's really minimal at the moment (£110 per month). Is this possible? How does being made redundant affect this?

I don't know what benefits I'm entitled to either, so any advice would be helpful!! This is my first little one, so I'm pretty clueless about everything to do with pregnancy and my rights!! We also have a wedding coming up (Sept 2011) so that's a big expense and like I said, I am due to start uni in Sept as well!!

Thanks!

nimbo

ideally you need to try to hang on where you are until the maternity kicks in.....

legally you don't have to tell any one at work until 15 weeks before the baby is due, and although you don't have to tell any one at a potential new place until the same date, it doesn't go down well...

we recently had a woman start who was 6 months gone - se'd been made redundant, the person who interviewed her was gutted, as they then had to get a string of temps in to cover, meaning loads of work for her.

she took mat leave, and then didn't come back as the hours she was willing/able to work didn't provide enough office cover....

you still wouldn't be pushed over the 2 year mark so in theory you're a godd person to keep on, until the end...

iamana1ias

I'd scale the wedding plans back if I were you. Sounds like you need the money for more important things.

Uncertain

Although it may sound selfish I would tell your current employer straight away but only tell a potential employer only once you have got the job!

Although it is perfectly possible (legally) to make a pregnant employee redundant or to dismiss them for proper reason most employer's are very wary of this for fear of discrimination claims. If you haven't told them they can't be discriminating!

OK, this is playing the system, but sometimes the law works to your advantage....

pinkmexican

You don't get the official document for work - your MATB1 until you are 21 wks (ish). Also I know this changes by area, but my midwife didn't want to see me until I was at least 10 weeks. So there shouldn't be any paperwork til then, and the first things you get are your notes and the NHS prescription application. But as said you don't legally have to tell your work until 15 weeks before you are due. BUT if you do tell them you will have the right to attend antenatal appts and for them to do a risk assessment etc and you are more protected. Also if you are still employed by them during the 25th week (I think that w/c 26th Dec) I think you should still be entitled to SMP, or SMA if the benefits people have to take it over.

FYI your dates from the Direct.gov website:

Date by which you must have notified your employer of when you plan to start your maternity leave
01 January, 2011
Earliest date you can start your maternity leave
23 January, 2011
Period of Ordinary Maternity Leave
23 January, 2011 to 23 July, 2011
Period of Additional Maternity Leave
24 July, 2011 to 21 January, 2012
Expected week of childbirth
10 April, 2011 to 16 April, 2011
Baby's due date
13 April, 2011

As for benefits, as far as I understand it, if your total income (you and partner) is less than £25,000 then you will be entitled to some tax credits, but that's all changed recently and comes in, in April so at the moment the calculators online don't show this. You will also be entitled to child benefit at £20.30 per week (this year's rate). I would love to explain all that more, but I am due to claim in approx 2 weeks and I still don't understand if I will get anthing, I am going to wait till this one's born and phone them and ask - too confusing (although might be preggo brain).

HTH

P