Maternity - returning part time?

johnny

Hi, would anyone be able to offer any advice.

My partner has just had a baby and would like to return to work part time. She is a teacher.

Before leaving on maternity she heard that the school wouldn't allow any more teachers to go part time. So she wrote to the governors enquiring what the possibility would be. This was in October time. She hasn't heard back and under new laws I believe they should have arranged a meeting with her within 28 days of receiving the letter.

Since they haven't done this does this give her leverage in discussions if they aren't willing for her to return part time.

Going back full time is a non starter so she would have to quit and then we would have to pay back all maternity pay - yikes :eek: !

Thanks in advance

John

Lucie_2

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/employment/parental_rights_at_work.htm

There is some good advice on here about maternity rights & return to work

http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/individual/flexible-pl516.htm

This is the dti's guidelines on flexible working - you are correct, they should have arranged a meeting within 28 days of receiving the request. However, did she send it recorded delivery? They can deny all knowledge of ever seeing the letter unless you have proof they did.

johannamse

Hi Johnny,

My sister is a teacher, but doesn't want to return to work at all (just had baby). However, she is going back for 13 weeks FT, so that she does not have to pay back any maternity pay. So even if your wife could not go PT, there should be (i am no expert) a short period that she can work to avoid paying maternity back. Not ideal, but not terrible. I hope this makes sense. Good Luck.

Spendless

Is the reason that she would have to pay the maternity pay back is that she has received more than statuory amount?

Also there is about 6 months of unpaid maternity pay now (as from April 6th 2003), if your wife went back say a few weeks before the summer holidays would the 6 weeks school summer hols count as her being back at her job?

plumpmouse

If she has recieve statutory mat pay I don't think she would have to pay anything back from what I understand.

I think all employers also now have an obligations to try accomodate part time hours for parents.

I'm not an expert by any means but just relaying what my boss told me when I was going off on maternity leave

johnny

Thanks for your replies. I'll have a look at those sites to see if they give any advice.

She would get to keep statutory maternity pay but not the extra. If she can't go back part-time then I think the alternative of going back full time for 13 weeks is the best bet especially if the 6 week summer holiday counts towards teaching time which I think it does.

On a sidenote, we've been looking at the cost of childcare (not lucky enough to have family nearby) and we can't believe the prices. It looks like when you have two kids it is just as cost effective for one parent to stay at home!

Spendless

johnny wrote:

On a sidenote, we've been looking at the cost of childcare (not lucky enough to have family nearby) and we can't believe the prices. It looks like when you have two kids it is just as cost effective for one parent to stay at home!

LOL welcome to the club!

Have you checked if you're entitled to any help with childcare costs via tax credits? Also have you told the tax credit people about your new-born as you are entitled to extra money in the first year.

nh

My sister is in this exact position. She had her second baby on Dec 1 and is going back after six months maternity just for 13 weeks, and the six-week holidays do count, and then she is leaving.

To put two kids in childcare costs over £1000 a month. What's the point? Although I know some mums would rather go out to work. I know one who is only about £60 a month better off going to work. But she prefers it to being at home all day.

Mad!

bylromarha

As a teacher, I know what you mean...it's a minefield! I decided I wanted to watch my son grow up so we're going to struggle through on one wage...with me doing supply if needed as savings run out. I only claimed SMP (£100 per week)...this ran out this week. If I had claimed my full maternity pay from the council, then decided not to return to work at the end of the maternity period, I would have to pay their full amount back...not the SMP.

However, as mentioned above, if you wish to claim full maternity pay, you need to go back for a minimum of 13 weeks at the hours you were on before going on maternity leave. I decided that this was not for me, so I resigned before my baby was born.

However, the head has to reasonably consider your wife's part time request. If the head has let others have part time hours, (s)he is on dodgy ground recommending that the governors refuse her request. However, I believe if they do agree your wife can begin part time hours this must start after the 13 weeks at the hours she was on before starting maternity leave.

As teaching, it seems, has different requirements about this to other professions, i recommend that your wife ring her union and/or the personnel dept at the eductaion office who employ her. Both were extremely helpful to me and helped me make informed choices about what I could do...don't be fobbed off if they say "I'll send you a booklet about it"...this happened to me the first time...write the questions you would like answered and it makes the discussion a lot clearer. Good luck!

moggins

And even when they start school it doesn't get any easier! My youngest starts school in September and I thought I really should try to get back to work but then even if I find a job within school hours (not very likely) I still have to find childcare for the umpteen school holidays, teacher training days the schools being shut for voting.

Looks like I shall have to relinquish any quality time with my kids and husband, miss all my favourite programmes and my sofa and go and work evenings stacking shelves in Tesco

jellyhead

moggins, you could ask the school if there's any particular childcare place that does pick-ups from the school. my sister uses a place that's a 5 minute walk from our school, they do playground pick-ups and walk the kids back in a crocodile, they also do breakfast and walk the kids to school in the mornings. the handy thing about this childcare place is that they do 'holiday club' in their after-school room (they have several rooms for different age children, the room for older kids is empty during school hours) so the kids who go before or after school can also spend entire days there in school holidays. they open on election days and because they do the pickups from only 3 schools they also get the school calendar and open their holiday club on the days when the school is closed for a staff training day. they have special holiday rates that are for the whole day and a bit cheaper than their hourly rate. it's really handy for the people who don't have any family available for childcare.

another alternative is school work such as dinner lady, playground supervision or classroom assistant.