Earning extra money while on maternity leave?

immoral_angeluk

Officially started my maternity leave today (woohoo!) and my boss has offered to pay me to go in and do some redecorating and painting displays (I've always been classed as the 'artist' of the nursery where I work and recently redecorated the bathroom which they were really pleased with..
My question is as I'll be on my maternity leave would it cause problems being paid to do some extra work.. even though it's not my normal job it's literally being paid to do them a favour? Don't get me wrong I'm not going to complain about being paid to paint a few things on the walls when otherwise I'd be sat at home on my bum watching daytime tv... and we could really do with the extra money seeing as I'll only be on SMP! We're also on tax credits so would they be effected??

zoezoe_3

not good news - you are not allowed to be paid for work whilst on smp or ma. sorry.

immoral_angeluk

Poo.. back to counting my pennies then... :P

Savvy_Sue

We have someone not long back from ML who is working reduced hours for a short period to 'compensate' her for giving advice and support while she was off. I know it's not cash in the bank, but it might be something to consider?

Ycart14

I done a couple of days at work while I was off on materninty leave and I had the extra days added to my holiday. As the end of the holiday year happened while I was off I got paid for them anyway as I wasn't there to take them, that may be a way round it?

Savvy_Sue

Actually, don't the 'new' maternity leave regulations allow for up to 10 'keeping in touch' days, which presumably you can be paid for. Is there anything to prevent an employer from making their maternity leave arrangements more generous than the statutory minimum, in line with the new stat min requirements? (The answer to that may be a resounding YES! there is something to prevent this, but it's a random thought that seemed worth voicing ...)

Of course if you do it for one, you'd have to do it for all ...