Please please please help! Pregnant & suicidal over debts, redundancy & illness

PrettyWoman

Hi - I'm quite new here too and don't claim to be an expert but wanted to offer some support.

ACAS are as much use as a chocolate teapot! I'm a small employer and have had 2 pregnant employees so from my experience these are the rules.

You have to have been employed by your employer for 12 months by your qualifying week. The qualifying week is 15 weeks before your due date (ie 25 weeks) and will be on your Mat1B certificate which you should have off your midwife. As long as you meet the qualifying criteria your company cannot NOT pay your SMP. If they cannot pay it because you don't qualify then they have to give you a form, which you take to the job centre and then you will get maternity allowance (about £112 a week). Depending on your earnings in your qualifying period your may be better off on MA than SMP anyway. Although your company will pay your SMP they then claim it back from the govenrment and depending on the size of the company they may get compensation too. When my employees were on maternity leave I was able to claim more than I paid them as I was 'compensated', it's only 4% but every little helps when you have to use temporary staff to cover.

Now obviously rules may have changed since my last experience so if somebody is more up-to-date than me I stand corrected.

Do you think you meet the qualifying criteria? How pregnant are you? How long have you worked there? Are you a permanent employee, with a contract?

If you suspect foul play start writing everything down now as you will need it all when you take them to an employment tribunal. Start gathering evidence assuming the worst and then when you take it all the the CAB you will be able to put a good case together. Give your employer enough rope and they will hang themselves - believe in karma and you will be fine.

Louise xx

vicxzy

Thank you Louise I a 19 weeks at the minute & I have worked for them on a perm basis for just over 2 years now?

x

postie_bear

Your employer cannot discapline you for pregnancy related illnesses as you are protected under the DDA, As you have worked for more then 2yrs you are entitled to redundancy, are they allowed to give you redundancy whilst on maternity, i'm not sure but if they are a caring employer then they should be paying you maternity pay, do you have any A/L you can use?

regards

PB

stupot_99

vicxzy wrote: »

I think Barclays is a dialler & It just calls & calls & calls x

Hey vicxzy,

I was in the same position with the constant calls, i just bought a cheap phone that had a reject call function its amazing i kept the no and bumped all unknown numbers and the numbers i didn't want to talk to to voice mail. Or just get a pound sim card and nobody has your no.

stupot_99

vicxzy wrote: »

Ex has said he will cover the mgt while Im on mat leave but only when im on stat pay x

Sorry vicxzy just read this bit, cant he pay towards it just now, how nice of him to wait til your getting less money and skint before paying his fair share.

vaporate

Hi OP

Just a message to wish you the very best of luck.

xxx Well done to other posters offering sound advice.

vaporate

PrettyWoman wrote: »

Hi - I'm quite new here too and don't claim to be an expert but wanted to offer some support.

ACAS are as much use as a chocolate teapot! I'm a small employer and have had 2 pregnant employees so from my experience these are the rules.

You have to have been employed by your employer for 12 months by your qualifying week. The qualifying week is 15 weeks before your due date (ie 25 weeks) and will be on your Mat1B certificate which you should have off your midwife. As long as you meet the qualifying criteria your company cannot NOT pay your SMP. If they cannot pay it because you don't qualify then they have to give you a form, which you take to the job centre and then you will get maternity allowance (about £112 a week). Depending on your earnings in your qualifying period your may be better off on MA than SMP anyway. Although your company will pay your SMP they then claim it back from the govenrment and depending on the size of the company they may get compensation too. When my employees were on maternity leave I was able to claim more than I paid them as I was 'compensated', it's only 4% but every little helps when you have to use temporary staff to cover.

Now obviously rules may have changed since my last experience so if somebody is more up-to-date than me I stand corrected.

Do you think you meet the qualifying criteria? How pregnant are you? How long have you worked there? Are you a permanent employee, with a contract?

If you suspect foul play start writing everything down now as you will need it all when you take them to an employment tribunal. Start gathering evidence assuming the worst and then when you take it all the the CAB you will be able to put a good case together. Give your employer enough rope and they will hang themselves - believe in karma and you will be fine.

Louise xx

I would see CAB followed sharply by seeking professional legal advice.

Pott5y

Morning Vicxy

Hope you managed to get some good rest last night and you and all your closest are feeling good today. Gradually day by day it will get easier I promise. Many of us have been there and come out the other end fighting.

I see from the way this thread is growing that your are getting a fantastic amount of support and help from the wonderful people on this forum. We are all here to help.

Good luck with whatever little challenge you have set up for today and remember ... one little step can feel like a giant leap in the right direction..

Pottsy

dizzypink

Hope you are feeling a bit better this morning. Sending hugs just in case:grouphug: Somelarger companies have a care system in place where they can offer things like counselling, legal advice etc all for free as the company pay for it. It isnt run by your employer and its confidential.

Might be worth checking with your HR dept if they have that service. That way you can get the legal advice you need now.

Hope you can have sometime today for yourself, caring for the little one inside. Take care

Dizzy

Katie-Kat-Kins

vicxzy wrote: »

Hi katie my union said they wont give me any advice until after my qualification period so I have to wait til 18th of March x

In that case go and see some independant solicitors. Most will do a free first half hour and there are lots of schemes for no win no fee type deals.

If you post roughly where you live I'll get a list of possible firms in your area specialising in employment work from the legal 500

I think you need some help dealing with that boss and the disciplinary hearing (if it goes that far). Will your union rep attend any meetings with you? Even if the union say no you could approch the rep anyway they might do it just to be nice if they are a colleague.