MSE Pregnancy Club 24

ikkle87

Rebekah I turned down EMP from work as it didn't benefit me. I only do 20 hours as well and there was no difference between SMP and EMP for me, plus I'm not sure I want to go back to that place again anyway so I declined it. I just had to sign a waiver saying I had had EMP and SMP explained to me and that I wished to decline EMP and that was it.

RebekahR

fluffnutter wrote: »

After 6 weeks your employer must pay you either £134.45 or 90% of your weekly earnings, whichever is the lowest. They must do this for the next 33 weeks (if you're still on maternity leave). After that you can have a further 13 weeks unpaid (as is the case with your package).

It might be easier to know what half pay would work out for you (if you don't mind sharing). Then I can be categorical about whether your package is within the law, or whether you should be asking for more.

Yea deffo need more. I work 20 hours a week at £6.39. Guessing I should be dragging out my contract actually. As this is under the new company as I was tupe-ed the maternity should be from my old companies contract. Not that I recon will be much different.

BB1984

Triangle wrote: »

One week - 7 teeny tiny little days - to go for you BB! Are you feeling like munchkin will come fairly close to due date or do you think you may be overdue?

Crazy. Without meaning to jinx it and end up going 2 weeks over...I think bubs is getting ready to make a fairly imminent arrival. The BH I've been getting are so strong, and my bump is sooooo huge I just don't see how I can hang on very much longer! Every night for the past few night, DH and I have said before we go to sleep "ooh I wonder if things will start tonight?!"... (I think DH is getting bored of waiting now!)

savageHK wrote: »

Right, another question for you lovely ladies. We have apparently been invited to a wedding 'in October' in Poland. (Mr SHK has the invite, which I've not seen yet, and he can't remember when in October!). My EDD is 26/11 (although I still think it's 30/11).
I don't want to fly so it's overnight trains at about 24 hours total transit on the trains, we did a similar thing last year although turned it into more of a tour of Europe (Berlin, Prague etc) and the trains are fine.
Would you go? What's the latest you'd travel overseas before EDD?

Personally I wouldn't go. I guess it slightly depends on when in Oct the wedding is - right at the start might not be too bad... But what I will say is that despite being young, fit and healthy, and having a pretty straightforward pregnancy, I MASSIVELY underestimated how much of a strain on my body being pregnant would be! By 32+ weeks (which I'm guessing is roughly what you'll be), my hour commute to work was bad enough; the thought of a 24 train journey doesn't sound like much fun, IMO! But obviously it's completely up to you, you know your body best!

RebekahR wrote: »

I wish! The package they are offering me is 6 weeks full - 10 half pay - OML for 23 weeks and then the 13 weeks unpaid AML.

As I work part time the 10 weeks half pay would have me at less than the statutory.

Are you sure the 10 weeks at half pay isn't half pay plus SMP?

BB x

Triangle

savageHK wrote: »

Right, another question for you lovely ladies. We have apparently been invited to a wedding 'in October' in Poland. (Mr SHK has the invite, which I've not seen yet, and he can't remember when in October!). My EDD is 26/11 (although I still think it's 30/11).
I don't want to fly so it's overnight trains at about 24 hours total transit on the trains, we did a similar thing last year although turned it into more of a tour of Europe (Berlin, Prague etc) and the trains are fine.
Would you go? What's the latest you'd travel overseas before EDD?

Hi savageUK

I have to be honest and say I personally wouldn't go. Even if you are without any pregnancy complications, SPD/similar (which hopefully you will be ), it is very possible you will be feeling exhausted at 33/34 weeks. I started to get swelling in feet around 34/35 weeks which has been a nightmare - I would also worry about being away from my local hospital. But I am a wuss and a worywort You need to do what you think is best for you.

RebekahR

The wording is thus: As you have had at least 26' weeks continuous employment as of the 15th week before the EWC you are entitled to Enhanced Maternity Pay which is made of 6 weeks full pay, 10 weeks half pay. Ordinary Maternity Leave of 23 weeks (paid) & Additional Maternity Leave of 13 weeks (unpaid).

fluffnutter

RebekahR wrote: »

Yea deffo need more. I work 20 hours a week at £6.39. Guessing I should be dragging out my contract actually. As this is under the new company as I was tupe-ed the maternity should be from my old companies contract. Not that I recon will be much different.

OK. According to the law and your contract, you should be getting...

6 weeks at £127.80 (full pay).
33 weeks at £115.02 (90% pay).
13 weeks unpaid.

Don't let them fob you off with 33 weeks of £63.90 (half pay) because they have to pay you either 90% or £135.45. HTH.

fluffnutter

RebekahR wrote: »

The wording is thus: As you have had at least 26' weeks continuous employment as of the 15th week before the EWC you are entitled to Enhanced Maternity Pay which is made of 6 weeks full pay, 10 weeks half pay. Ordinary Maternity Leave of 23 weeks (paid) & Additional Maternity Leave of 13 weeks (unpaid).

Which is not going to be a problem for most full-time workers, because the first 16 weeks are going to be better than SMP.

What the contract can't do is give you less than the statutory. And in your case, half pay would, therefore they're obliged to give you 90% pay or SMP whichever is the lowest.

Here's a link to the relevant bit on the HMRC site:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/paye/employees/statutory-pay/smp-overview.htm#1

RebekahR

fluffnutter wrote: »

OK. According to the law and your contract, you should be getting...

6 weeks at £127.80 (full pay).
33 weeks at £115.02 (90% pay).
13 weeks unpaid.

Don't let them fob you off with 33 weeks of £63.90 (half pay) because they have to pay you either 90% or £135.45. HTH.

Deffo! Ruddy good job I check all my paperwork and do my figures isn't it :eek:

Yea the 90% they would need to pay me and doing so diddles me out of £434. I have emailed off to point this out as not meeting the minimum weekly requirement and asked for clarification.

RebekahR

fluffnutter wrote: »

Which is not going to be a problem for most full-time workers, because the first 16 weeks are going to be better than SMP.

What the contract can't do is give you less than the statutory. And in your case, half pay would, therefore they're obliged to give you 90% pay or SMP whichever is the lowest.

Here's a link to the relevant bit on the HMRC site:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/paye/employees/statutory-pay/smp-overview.htm#1

Thank you poppet! Your a star. I thought I was going mad initiailly and kept recalculating.

Teerah

Thanks everyone

dizsiebubba wrote: »

Teerah how do you pronounce her name?

It's pronounced ay-va

Kitten_Pie wrote: »

Congratulations Teerah, excuse my ignorance but is HBAC the same as VBAC or have I muddles things?

Yes Kitten, it just stands for home birth after Caesarian as opposed to doing it in hospital. My midwives were fantastic I still can't believe it