Maternity Pay Confusion- Part time worker

LunaLovegood

Hello folks,

Really hoping someone has been in a similar situation or could offer some advice. I am thoroughly confused.

I am a full time student and work part time as well. Husband & I are thinking of trying for a baby this year and we are researching maternity pay etc.

I will have been with my company for 26 weeks in May. At this point I would be eligible for SMP- which would be 90% of my weekly earnings (£114 basic weekly pay, so 90% is £102ish) for 39 weeks (£4000ish)

However, my company also offer 'enhanced' maternity pay. Which is full pay for 14 weeks (114x14=£1596), 14 weeks at half pay (114x14=£798) and then 11 weeks at SMP so 90% of weekly earnings 102x11=£1122), so £3500 ish.

Now I can see why the company enhanced pay would be preferable in a full time workers case, but as you can see for me, I end up about £500 worse off.

Can I tell my employer I don't want their enhanced pay and just want SMP for the full 39 weeks? Or can they make me take their lower pay?

Thanks in advance!

clairec79

Check what it is actually worded as - mine was full pay for X weeks (can't remember how many as my son is 7, think it was 8), then half pay PLUS SMP for (Y weeks) (X+Y was 26 weeks) then just SMP for 13 weeks

sweetilemon

I agree, mine is half pay + SMP so might be the same?

LunaLovegood

It states;

'You are entitled to XXXXXX enhanced maternity pay. This means you will receive 14 weeks at full pay, followed by 14 weeks at half pay, followed by 11 weeksof the lower rate Statutory
Maternity Pay'

Citizens advice website states the following;

'Some jobs give you contractual maternity pay as a benefit of working there. What you get depends on your employer, but you should never be worse off than if you just got statutory maternity pay.'

So going by that it seems that if SMP works out better for me my employer shouldn't force the company one on me.

NBDS

As I understand it, if a company is offering you enhanced maternity pay they in effect !!!8220;top up!!!8221; SMP, if you are eligible for SMP then you receive it. If SMP is better, then the company won!!!8217;t have anything to top up, and you won!!!8217;t be worse off.

Suewre

It will be the higher of SMP or your enhanced rate, the wording is based on a full time worker. One thing to consider is that the LEL (the level at which your entitlement to SMP is worked out) will be increasing in April to £116. So you would need to be earning an average of £116 per week in your qualifying period, so if you are still earning £114 per week then, you will not be entitled to SMP anyway.

LunaLovegood

Thanks for the replies.

My pay will be increasing this month due to having been there 3+months which will take me to £116 per week so should still be fine for SMP :j