Childcare vouchers whilst on maternity leave

System

I think that, if working for a small company, raising your childcare to the max just before MA is a very good way of being universally disliked on your return to work, both by other workers when the scheme gets cancelled, and the management for the extra expenses you have incurred for them.

Just don't expect a bunch of flowers from the boss when the baby is born.

mountainofdebt

This is exactly why employers must be thinking twice about employing women of child bearing age these days.

SkintGypsy

I wonder how much the Monday morning sickie costs them for the young free and single??

ab7167

Leaving aside whether you should or not, you will only get them paid at the level they were at during your qualifying period of weeks 17-25. So if you are going to do it, do it soon.

You should consider cancelling childcare vouchers during weeks 17-25 is if your salary sacrifice takes you below the level at which you would qualify for mat pay. I think this is currently £97 per week.

mountainofdebt

SkintGypsy wrote: »

I wonder how much the Monday morning sickie costs them for the young free and single??

I suspect that many small firms offer only SSP to their employees so a Monday morning sickie (or come to think of it any other day sickie) will end up costing the employee.

Also I would imagine that it would soon become obvious if a 'sickness' pattern was emerging and dealt with appropriately.

DaisyFlower

I fear most employers will remove this scheme, especially the smaller ones and it will penalise those that use it correctly and dont take the vouchers whilst on maternity leave.

If I was an employer and an employee increased their voucher limit to the max before going on maternity leave to ensure maximum "free" money then any trust I had in that employee would be gone.

cte1111

I had a salary sacrifice in place for childcare vouchers before I went on maternity leave. The contribution to the childcare vouchers stopped when I was on maternity leave, as I no longer had salary in place, so there was nothing to 'sacrifice'. Surely this is straightforward, your childcare vouchers stop when your salary stops?

I was claiming Maternity Allowance rather than SMP as had not worked for my employer for long enough so maybe that is why my understanding of the system is different to yours.

HRV

Was discussing this with OH yesterday ( as we're expecting twins) and his company dont offer the vouchers at the moment (there are only 4 members of staff). He was asking me why exactly some companies wouldnt offer it- I was explaining the exact situation the OP is talking about- though obviously not a concern for him as he's a man;);)

Does any one know whether if he did set up the scheme at work whether they have to offer this 'perk' to all employees. For example if they took on a part time admin person it may be relevant (as I think they only offer SMP). Pretty sure they'll let him set it up but might be wary if it could come back to'bite' them at a later date with a different member of staff.

hex2

It entirely depends on the scheme wording and your contract. Some allow for maternity, others only let you change the amount annually. I know there were some tribunals going through about it when companies withdrew the benefit once there was no salary to sacrifice from but I haven't seen any case law.

For what it is worth if someone did this where I work then the scheme would simpl have to be withdrawn for everyone for cost reasons, and I would get my backside kicked as to why I hadn't put the wording in to prevent it in the first place, or mentioned that it was a risk when I talked our MD into it.

HRV - you used to have to offer the scheme to all staff? I know you do with cycle to work. busybees.co.uk is a good one for small companies.

CL

HRV wrote: »

Does any one know whether if he did set up the scheme at work whether they have to offer this 'perk' to all employees.

I set up the Childcare Voucher Scheme in my work and I was advised that it had to be offered to all staff. The supplier we used posted us out posters and we put them up on staff notice boards.

We only had 2 staff take up the vouchers as other staff were better off with child tax credits.