MSE Pregnancy Club 24

rjh090384

I get nothing. Not a penny. Not Sma or smp. Cos I will have finished Uni two weeks before my due date I can't realistically go on job seekers and I haven't worked in past year due to full time Uni and being a single parent. Never mind the fact that I'm 28, have worked since I was 14 and am now contributing to society by training in a worthwhile career. No that doesn't matter. So me and the OH when he moves in have to try ad support me him and two kids on 14500!!!!

turtlemoose

Thanks Emsbet I just hope the tribunal is successful. Unfortunately I work for a very large (and successful) company, and they have already spent more in legal bills fighting it than it would have cost them just to pay me what my contract says. I'm terrified they will get off via a loophole etc, and I'm representing myself so it's a bit scary!!

Not to mention th consequences....win or lose I have to go back to work there, and think I can pretty definitely say any chance of a career in that company is long gone, which is frustrating as I've worked hard the last 5 years to get to a job that's fairly senior/well paid in relation to my age - its not fair but I also didn't see why I should roll over and let them get away with not meeting their contractual (and legal!) obligations....hmm we shall see!!

Rjh oh yikes, I remember when I had just finished uni (6 years ago, eek!!!), I finished in the April and had a (uni related) job lined up which didn't start until the September - I remember there being daft rules that basically meant I couldn't claim for any help in the mean time, and I struggled to get a tide-me-over job as was over qualified for everything....basically because my boyf at the time worked more than 30hrs a week we weren't entitled to any help - so he had to support two of us on a whopping salary of just under 9k!! Now they were hard times until I managed to get some temping work (I ditched the uni related job offer in the end!) ...and that was just with two adults no dependants and that was hard enough!! Won't your OH qualify for some tax credits?

jovichick123

Morning ladies

Hope everyone well

Have read back but am half asleep and can't remember half of what I read

Good luck with the tribunal Turtlemoose makes me so :mad: when employers think they can behave how they like towards pregnant women. I was made redundant at 17 weeks, one of the bosses hadn't spoken to me since I announced the pregnancy (early to try and allow them to plan) and it was fairly obvious that the decision was made due to the fact I would be taking mat leave... I couldn't prove it though so had to let it go, have put it down to a lesson learnt

Congrats on 24 weeks Kittenpie

With reagrds to names, we had loads for a girl but they are of no use to us this time as we are having a little man We have three names that we like and we plan to see what he looks like before making a final decision... His middle names are sorted, he will be named after my Granddad and OH's Dad so he will be <<first name>> Hedley John <<surname>> IYSWIM.

On another point, 9 days to go as of today - we are into single figures :eek::eek::eek:

((hugs)) to those who need them, am off to get some brekkie and a brew

Jovi xx

fluffnutter

Talking of morning sickness, I've just heaved this morning! Wonderful! Just goes to show you can still get it despite being almost 36 weeks

Feel much better now I've eaten

MrsManda

Morning all, *hugs* to everyone who had a bad night's sleep / is in pain.

Hugs to Turtlemoose, good luck at the tribunal it can't be easy to deal with this while pregnant.

Rjh - have you looked to see if you can claim Employment Support Allowance? It's payable from 6 weeks prior to your due date until 14 days after birth. I think it does depend on National Insurance Contributions but it may be worth applying anyway.
You'll get child benefit and child tax credits once baby is born and as your OH's income is low it's likely he'll qualify for Working Tax Credits. You may also receive council tax benefit and housing benefit if you rent.
When are you and your OH moving in together? It may be worth putting your household details into a benefits calculator as if baby has been born and your OH is living with you to see what you will be able to claim.

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/payments-entitlement/entitlement/question-how-much.htm

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/diol1/doitonline/doitonlinebycategory/dg_172666

As for names, we've still not decided and I'm 38+3 today! Very glad that we have 42 days to decide and register the birth

A friend of mine was saying that in Greece babies aren't officially named until they've been baptised and baptism traditionally doesn't occur until age 2 and until then the child is just known as unbaptised (in Greek). His sister brought his niece over to meet the English side of the family when she was 6 months old and her passport was in the name of 'unbaptised <surname>' I presume it's got something to do with high childhood mortality in days gone by as names passed through the family and you wouldn't want to 'lose' a family name by giving it to a child who didn't survive

Re: sickness, I didn't get any until I was ~16 weeks. I then spent the next 10 or so weeks sucking lots of mints to reduce my nausea. Now much better though have been feeling really nauseous this morning, no idea why.

Hope everyone has a good day *hugs*

twinklie

I'm 25 weeks today - YEY. That is all.

little_miss_moneysaver_3

Morning all!
Hugs for the rubbish night RJH hope the physio helps. May be worth seeing your GP to get a little dose of codeine? They gave me some but I still avoid taking it to be honest which is daft, but a little dose is safe in pregnancy.

Turtlemoose good luck for the tribunal, at least you have a date. But like you said its an expensive business.

Just had an interesting chat with HR dept. my boss is telling me as I'm off sick with preg related thing then I must go on mat leave at 28 weeks. However the policy says the earliest is 29 weeks which I think is the standard for everywhere. So had lovely chat with HR lady who says I can be off sick until 36 weeks when I would have to take mat leave if I'm still off sick which we know I will be. Also have over 5 weeks annual leave left until next April which my boss says she'll carry over even though she's not meant to. She said there's no chance of using it before, like get signed back to work to take annual leave and then straight to mat leave. However HR told me that this is acceptable and many GPs Are happy to do this.
I get on super well with my boss and I don't want to think she's conning me. Maybe it's her idea or what she thinks is the proper thing to do. But why would I go on mat leave and a lot less money at 28/29 weeks and use up time I could spend with bubba after if I can hold off another 7/8 weeks. Am I being daft? I mean I'm entitled to full sick pay for six months so is its wrong to stay on the sick until as long as possible?

As for names, I think we've decided on our boys name but it was hard, we had quite a few lovely girls names we loved, but no boys. We're not telling anyone yet and oh doesn't want to start calling him it yet.i think he's worried about ppl hearing it. As we are now engaged the baby will have his surname with mine as a middle name. I don't think either is grand enough to put them together.

Whoo it's so hot here already, even with the windows open. Hope everyone is managing to keep cool somehow. It may be ice lolly o'clock here already!

MrsManda

LMM according to the rules around SMP you can take maternity leave and start receiving maternity pay from the 11th week before baby is due as suggested by your manager.

But your HR manager is right in that if you are off for a pregnancy related reason in the 4 weeks before your EDD then your maternity leave/pay should start then.

I believe occupational maternity pay/leave has to adhere to the same rules as SMP as OMP should be an enhancement of SMP not reduction in rights/pay.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_175869

RebekahR

Little lady is having a fun play time! My whole body is shaking from the kicks and punches LOL. Awww i'm happy when she is happy.

Kitten_Pie

Hey all, really hot here too although we have mirror film on the windows which helps keep it a little more bearable.

My company have been really good which I was worried about however not sure if this is because I let it slip regularly in conversations that my FIL works for the tribunal service and my OH advises the ministers on the tribunal policy so they know that if they slip up I would have no problems taking things further.

Opened up our baby name spreadsheet and like the name Aurora however think it might be open to bullying but can't see how. Any ideas on how it can be warped? Surname is Boyd.