Will new job affect maternity pay?

hind123

I am hoping to fall pregnant next year but have the opportunity to start a new job which would really complement my career. It would be a temporary part time role for 12 months starting in September, meaning I would have to cut my  full time hours at my current job in half.
I worry about how this would affect my maternity pay? I would certainly be due after the 12 month post has finished, and am only eligible for SMP at my current job. How would taking on this new role and cutting my hours at my current job affect my maternity pay?

Comms69

Potentially yes - it depends if your employers pay additiona maternity pay.

Also dont assume you can just cut down your hours. 

Also dont assume you can just take on a second job.,

hind123

Comms69 said:

Potentially yes - it depends if your employers pay additiona maternity pay.

Also dont assume you can just cut down your hours. 

Also dont assume you can just take on a second job.,

I'm just forward thinking, it is an important issue for me when considering the job.

Comms69

hind123 said:

Comms69 said:

Potentially yes - it depends if your employers pay additiona maternity pay.

Also dont assume you can just cut down your hours. 

Also dont assume you can just take on a second job.,

I'm just forward thinking, it is an important issue for me when considering the job.

Indeed, which is why i pointed out some of the other pitfalls.

sheramber

Each job will be treated separately for calculating maternity pay so it will depend on what your wages will be from each as to whether it affects how much you get.

Savvy_Sue

https://www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/pay
There's a link to help you work out what you might be entitled to. It's possible that your earnings would be too low to be entitled to SMP from either job, but you should then be able to claim Maternity Allowance - not as generous.

Fireflyaway

You need to establish if you can decrease your hours first. I've been refused before so it's not guaranteed. Are you planning to then increase your hours after the temp job finishes or remain part time? It's definitely worth getting some savings if you haven't already. Just in case something happens to your job whilst on maternity leave. You also can't guarantee you will get pregnant exactly when you want to. Prepare for all eventualities!

Savvy_Sue

Fireflyaway said:

You need to establish if you can decrease your hours first. I've been refused before so it's not guaranteed. Are you planning to then increase your hours after the temp job finishes or remain part time? It's definitely worth getting some savings if you haven't already. Just in case something happens to your job whilst on maternity leave. You also can't guarantee you will get pregnant exactly when you want to. Prepare for all eventualities!

Definitely worth remembering that if you submit a request for flexible working and it's accepted, then UNLESS it is on a trial or fixed term basis, those new hours are your new contractual hours, and you have no right to return to your previous contract. 

So if you DO plan to return to f/t at the end of the other p/t job, it is worth making that known in the request. 

This is the gov.uk page which covers flexible working requests.