made redundant whilst pregnant

snowmaid

rjm2k1 wrote: »

This is simply not true, they probably didn't want to risk the cost of defending an unfair dismissal case.

You are probably quite right, my sister happened to mention this in passing and she was probably not aware of the facts, as I'm not. Perhaps I should have said that this pregnant woman wasn't made redundant and it turned out to be something to do with her pregnancy.

Somethingy like that anyway!

olly300

Actually agree with rjm2k1.

Most companies don't follow redundancy procedures to the letter so it's cheaper for them to keep on pregnant staff or those on maternity leave as they clearly fall under sex discrimination laws. The payout for unfair dismissal has a maximium ceiling of approx £55K while the pay out for sex discrimination at a tribunal is unlimited.

I know 2 women who have been made redundant on maternity leave. Their employers were the government, and because they knew who else had been made redundant it looked like a fair process so they didn't bother questioning it.

RabbitMad

Why not go for JSA until the day before your due date? Then get maternity allowance to kick in on the due date (or when the baby comes if that's earlier).

Are your company paying enhanced redundancy pay or statutory minimum?

As others have suggested - did your company follow the rules before making you redundant?

Louise1521

I was made redundant when I was around 10 weeks pregnant. I signed on for JSA a couple of weeks later, and found a job, which I started when I was about 28/29 weeks pregnant. Finished today to start my mat leave. Did feel strange starting a new job with a big bump, but everybody has been fantastic. Good luck.

melg1973

Hi everyone and thanks

I hadn't got in touch with CAB etc as thought as it wasn't just me made redundant it wasn't because I was pregnant (they did know). There was only 5 employees in total so down to 2 now (plus the 2 directors). They have been running at a loss for a while so simply said they couldn't afford to keep us on. One of the other girls had just finished her maternity leave, so great timing for her too. They always see their solicitors before doing anything serious so I assumed they had followed the guidelines. I am going on my hols today (booked when feeling more flush!) but think I will contact the CAB when I come back just in case. To be honest the way things are going I would be surprised if they are still in business by christmas.

tsstss7

hi thought I'd jump in on this one as a similar situation happened to me ...I was in a temp contract fot a full time job when I became pregnant and would have had to interview at around 20 weeks, although you do not have to inform employers of the pregnancy before 25 weeks it would have been too obvious!!!! Anyway I decided not to interview as I knew that there was no way they would then give me that job considering I would be going on maternity leave within 4 months....

Also I have no intention of returning to work full time after bb comes so would have had to leave then anyway.

So I left at 19 weeks and signed on with a temp agency (burt didn't tell them I was preggers either lol!) however in the meantime I was applying for other jobs and did tell these prospective employers, I didn't want to work for any company that had a problem with it anyway!!!

Anyway I am now working - I got a 3 month contract developing a project and am due to leave in two weeks - almost perfect timing, so it can happen!

The advice I would give however concerning JSA MA etc is that if you do work up until the MA kicks in you are considered to be employed during the period of MA and are treated as such by the inland revenue when calculating tax credits....this may or may not benefit your family ....try the entitledto web site to find out ...for me it means an increased household income of around 2000/annum so it was worth temping etc even though it has put me in the position of having to work until very late in pregnancy (am 36 weeks now)

it may also mean that after the MA period has finished you will still qualify for JSA...if so let me know as I guess I would to ...I'm hoping to go back to work when bb is about 9months-1 year so once MA is over will not be able to claim tax credits any longer.

knowledgeman

Why cant you get a job

By my reckoning you have 5 months to due date approx

You could easily find a job on a temp contract or even a proper one

Your probably still at such an early stage you wouldnt even need to disclose it and no company could discriminate against you simply because you were pregnant

tsstss7

Hi Being in a similar situation myself I have phoned the job centre to ask about the rules for claiming JSA after maternity allowance stops so here they are:-

you must be

actively seeking work (DOH!)
and able to work

then there is a complicated bit about how you must have paid a certain amount of National insurance over the previous 2 tax years which they update from January of the year you are applying (confused much!)

So if you were to apply this year 2007 they would be looking at the previous 2 tax years ending in April 2006, so next year 2008 they will be looking at the 2 tax years ending in April 2007 so this means you (and I) will need to have had paid the amount they specify (not sure how they work this out but if you paid most weeks I think you would be ok) during the tax years 2005/6 2006/7.

So if you were employed and earned over the NI limit from April 2005 until April 2007 you will be ok to claim JSA after your MA runs out next year (dont forget you now get 39 weeks) !!

hope this helps!!!