Going back to work?

[kitabird]

Has everybody decided whether or not they'll be going back to work? I have no idea what to do and am aware that it has to all be decided by 25 weeks. I only work part time but still the thought of putting my baby into childcare makes me uneasy. I don't even know how much it will cost and whether it would make financial sense for me to work. Any tips on how to work this out?

 

[puffins'mom]

hi, i also work part-time, you dont need to let your employer know if you intend to come back to work or even if you want to discuss changing working hours until 1 month before before your maternity leave is finished and you are due to return to work.

https://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parent...amilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG_065153

you have loads of time hun x

 

[BabyJayne]

I don't think you have to decide by 25 weeks hun.

 

[chele]

yeah loads of time, just hint you're going back and then let them know after the baby is born and before your maternity leave is up. That's what I am doing x

 

[Nicola83]

I'm definitely going back to work after the baby is here as we just couldn't afford to live otherwise. I agree with the others though that you only have to let your employers know a short while before you end your mat leave.

At my work you have to come back for 3 months else you have to pay your mat leave back! We do get 6 months full pay though so at least they are giving us something for that guarantee!

 

[kitabird]

My employer requires you to tell them when you intend to return to work at the 25 week mark. I know you can change the date later on, but if I say I'm going to come back and then decide not to then I'll have to pay back money as Nicola83 says, which could leave me seriously screwed!
Has anyone looked into the childcare options, or have any experience with nurseries/childminders?

 

[c.c]

puffins mum is right you dont need to let your employer know if your going back just need to give a months notice if your not. i heard if you tell your employer your not coming back they can refuse to pay you maternity so id keep quiet untill you have to tell them xxxx

 

[LankyDoodle]

Your boss may ask for an indication of whether you will return, when you notify of your date of intended leave; however, this is not something written in stone and you do not have to stick by what you said. If you decide to leave then you must give the required notice even though you will be on maternity leave (for me, this is a month, so I'd have to give the notice by 11 months). If you are unsure what you are doing, I'd leave it open and say that you are returning and then make up your mind, as if you say you are not then they may start making arrangements to cover you permanently (but they do have to hold your job open).

 

[LankyDoodle]

I have looked into nursery costs and if I work full time then it will cost us about 650 a month in childcare. As a rough guide, I can hope to take home about 1200 maximum from my f/t job, leaving us with 550 plus child benefit and CTCs (amounts to about 250 a month). We worked out that I'd be left with more money if I found a part time job instead, leaving her in childcare a day or two max a week, using family 1 day a week and then having her myself the rest of the time.

 

[LankyDoodle]

puffins mum is right you dont need to let your employer know if your going back just need to give a months notice if your not. i heard if you tell your employer your not coming back they can refuse to pay you maternity so id keep quiet untill you have to tell them xxxx

Your employer cannot refuse to pay SMP if you are entitled to it, regardless of whether you are returning or not. They can refuse to pay any additional company maternity pay, but SMP is a legal requirement (the government pay a large proportion of it, depending on the size of the company... the company claims it back from the govt). If an employee has worked for the company long enough then they MUST be given SMP unless they leave the company's employment before the 25th week of pregnancy.

It's funny, but when I was a payroll clerk, you'd be surprised how many employers thought they could get away without paying SMP!!

 

[Seity]

My husband doesn't work, so I'll be going back after 6 weeks and he'll stay home and take care of our baby.

 

[kitabird]

I have looked into nursery costs and if I work full time then it will cost us about 650 a month in childcare. As a rough guide, I can hope to take home about 1200 maximum from my f/t job, leaving us with 550 plus child benefit and CTCs (amounts to about 250 a month). We worked out that I'd be left with more money if I found a part time job instead, leaving her in childcare a day or two max a week, using family 1 day a week and then having her myself the rest of the time.

It's so complicated!

 

[kitabird]

My husband doesn't work, so I'll be going back after 6 weeks and he'll stay home and take care of our baby.

It's great that he'll be there to take care of baby full time, but on the other hand, I don't envy you having to go back to work so soon.

 

[c.c]

the amount of women who get pregnant every year they should make it more clear what you can and cant do what you get paid etc as its ssssooooo confusing im really lost with it all xxxxx

 

[Cookie_Clare]

I'm going to wait and see how I feel, and how we get on with money. I'd rather not hurry back to work, but realistically will probably go back after six months leave, hopefully part time, but I'll have to see if the company'll let me...

 

[Missy86]

I am taking 6 months off and then hopefully going back 3 days a week

I can apply to go part time on the flexi working agreement

 

[Mervs Mum]

I would check where you stand on that because I dont think they can make you decide until 8 weeks before you are due to return. Your employer may request that you let them know your intentions, but that's not my understanding of UK maternity employment regulations. I would definitely speak to someone independent - what sector do you work in?

I am giving up work. I dont intent returning after my maternity leave BUT even my own HR department have advised me NOT to hand my notice in until 8 weeks before I am due to return to work. Heaven forbid my circumstances may change. My employers know my intentions but understand that wont be made official for some time.

Dont be swept along without protecting yourself.

 

[kitabird]

I work for a university. I know if I say I intend to return then I can change my mind later on and give notice that I'm leaving. It's just that if I do that, I will then have to pay back the portion of maternity pay which my employer has given me on top of SMP. My OH has suggested that I could put that amount of money away each month just in case, but money is going to be very tight. I'm gonna have to do some serious sums!!

 

[Mervs Mum]

I work in education. You dont have to decide. Speak to your HR department. IF you think you might NOT return you can opt to have the basic maternity pay so you dont end up being over paid. If you change your mind and go back to work, you get a lump sum for the amount you should have been entitled to. I've been on maternity twice in 2 years - once where I knew I was going back so I took my full entitlement, and this time I'm not going back so I take the basic entitlement BUT if I do decide to return to work - lets say heaven forbid anything horrible happens - I will get the difference as soon as I start working again.

 

[kitabird]

I work in education. You dont have to decide. Speak to your HR department. IF you think you might NOT return you can opt to have the basic maternity pay so you dont end up being over paid. If you change your mind and go back to work, you get a lump sum for the amount you should have been entitled to. I've been on maternity twice in 2 years - once where I knew I was going back so I took my full entitlement, and this time I'm not going back so I take the basic entitlement BUT if I do decide to return to work - lets say heaven forbid anything horrible happens - I will get the difference as soon as I start working again.

That's interesting, I'll have a word with HR. Thanks