maternity leave or just jand in notice

bittersweet

just considering things for the future here. Currently work part time. Now pregnant with second child. When the time comes to go on maternity leave I dont want to mess my employer about by giving her a promise Ill be back within a few months as although I do want to return I'm not sure how soon. A previuos employee went on maternity leave and the employer kept her job open only for her to eventually say she wasnt coming back, I dont want to do that.
I'm thinking that if I hand in my notice , I'll be able to go back once Ive had my baby but I dont want to give a specified time - just as soon as I reasonably can.
However woudl this be seen as leaving my job voluntarily and result in not being able to claim any assistance?
As ive said it will be a short term claim due to a recent change in circumstances - never claimed anything before and didnt envisage having to do so.

Guest101

On what basis will you be able to go back if you hand your notice in?


Certainly it's you leaving voluntarily, that's exactly what it is.

Naf

Maternity leave is the only way you'll be able to continue receiving something like your wage - leaving would preclude you from claiming out of work welfare. Its also the only way you can be sure to have a job to go back to. Your job will need to be covered either way - but if you quit and your return date is uncertain, I'd just replace you entirely. Sorry, but as a business that's just not a situation many places would want to deal with.

EDIT: poorly worded.

Diary

Naf wrote: »

Maternity leave is the only way you'll be able to continue receiving state assistance, yes. .

This is simply untrue and scaremongering.

Naf

Diary wrote: »

This is simply untrue and scaremongering.

How? By quitting (or deliberately getting sacked), you can't claim out of work benefits. I've been through it when a former employer tried to claim I walked out.

Darksparkle

Naf wrote: »

How? By quitting (or deliberately getting sacked), you can't claim out of work benefits. I've been through it when a former employer tried to claim I walked out.

You can't claim JSA for voluntarily leaving your job (there are some exceptions). It doesn't exclude you from claiming any benefits.

OP if you were to continue with the employment, would you be entitled to SMP? If so that would be enough reason to remain in employment. If you are entitled to that, you'll still get it even if you don't plan on returning.

Why do you need to give a specified time? You are entitled to a years leave. You can tell them you are taking the year then if you want to return sooner then request it.

Naf

Darksparkle wrote: »

You can't claim JSA for voluntarily leaving your job (there are some exceptions). It doesn't exclude you from claiming any benefits.

Oh, I see how my post is poorly worded. That might have been a better thing to reply than 'scaremongering', don't you think?

EDIT: I think I've improved it now.

Darksparkle

Naf wrote: »

Oh, I see how my post is poorly worded. That might have been a better thing to reply than 'scaremongering', don't you think?

It wasnt me that said that.

Naf

Darksparkle wrote: »

It wasnt me that said that.

Oops :silenced: Sorry!

bittersweet

Thanks. My employer has a business which is quite seasonal and there are always staff coming and going as some leave to go to uni, theyre replaced with, for instance, a mum whose kids are back at school after the long summer hols etc. I worked there last year and left but they are happy to take back reliable employees as long as theyre truthful with them and dont say theyll be back after uni term then dont come back without at least letting them know.
So this is why Im saying would I be better off leaving althogether when my baby is due. I know theyll have me back if they have vacancies when Im ready. But I wont be able to claim JSA as although, yes, I have left a job voluntarily, I woudl find it difficult to say that I am able to seek work with a newborn baby. I just dont know how long Ill need to be off - my circumstances have changed very dramatically over the last month, everything is up in the air and everything I had carefully planned for the future is now in disarray

bittersweet

ahh , sorry , wasmt reading all the replies properly. darksparkle , im not sure ill be entiteld to smp, I ll have to look into it. Its just this whole thing of letting people down I dont like. Theres certain aspects of my employers I dont like (see my post about their atttiude to people on benefits) but at least they are fair people to work for and that means a lot to me.

EDIT - does my employer have to pay SMP or the government?