Opinions & advice please...

emilyxxx8

Hi,

I just want to hear your opinions or any advice you have.
I am going on maternity leave end of March. I currently work full time in an office job which pays £16.5k pa. I only live 5 mins away so it is convenient and money is ok. I have been here 4.5 years.
My ordinary maternity leave ends at the end of september but SMP ends end of December. At the moment i am planning on returning beginning of October because money is so tight. However, like most new mums i don't want to, i want to be around as much as i can for my little one especially because he/she will need an op sometime in first 12 months because has something called a CCAM on lung.

I am trying to come up with ideas i can earn money, whilst being at home as much as possible but not having much luck.

When i was at college i always wanted to be a nurse or midwife but never persued this for various, looking back now, silly reasons.

I have thought maybe there is a way i could study to become a nurse or midwife whilst having a part time job?? Would i be entitled to any financial help / childcare etc?

Or does anyone have any better ideas?
I really can't stand the thought of coming back to work full time in a job that bores me whilst my little one is being looked after by someone else!

tizerbelle

What is happening with the holidays you accrue while you are on maternity leave? If you are off for 9 months maternity leave you will have accrued 9/12th of your annual leave - you can ask your employer if at the end of the 39 weeks when you finish maternity leave if you can then have all that holiday in one block before you physically return to work - you will be paid your normal salary.

I don't think you are saying you want to do part time work while you are on maternity leave but just in case you are thinking about it, if your current employer finds out you are working for someone who didn't employ you in your qualifying week they are entitled to stop paying you SMP completely.

Have you considered putting in a flexible working request to your employer for when you return from maternity so you can work part-time with them without having to find another job. They don't have to agree but if you don't ask, you don't get.

red_devil

emilyxxx8 wrote: »

Hi,

I just want to hear your opinions or any advice you have.
I am going on maternity leave end of March. I currently work full time in an office job which pays £16.5k pa. I only live 5 mins away so it is convenient and money is ok. I have been here 4.5 years.
My ordinary maternity leave ends at the end of september but SMP ends end of December. At the moment i am planning on returning beginning of October because money is so tight. However, like most new mums i don't want to, i want to be around as much as i can for my little one especially because he/she will need an op sometime in first 12 months because has something called a CCAM on lung.


Try this forum here. Its especially for people at home or people who have the dilemma about being at home verus working. www.homemakers.forumotion.co.uk.