Handing in notice whilst on Maternity Leave! Heeeelp!

[cherryglitter]

Right, sorry if im blabbing on a bit!

I left work the last week of April to go on maternity leave, I was around 28 weeks pregnant. I took two weeks holiday meaning my maternity leave technically started when I was 30 weeks pregnant. Bringing it up to the middle of May.

Im looking for a new job at the moment as I don't want to return to my old one. How do I go about handing my notice in? Does it matter that I would still be getting SMP (I know this will of course stop when I leave my old job!)

Im hoping to get a new part time job in another care home. Call me crazy for going back so early aha, but i've been off for so long!

I have no idea when my maternity pay is meant to be stopping or anything, but I know it's going to take me around a month to get a new job due to CRB checks etc.

Do I need to let my old job know im applying for new jobs or can I just hand my notice in? So many questions!!
Thanks in advance xxx

 

[rach321]

I would check the terms of your maternity leave - in my job I normally have to give 1 months notice but if I'm not coming back after mat leave then I have to give 3 months notice. Once your notice finishes then the mat pay will stop.

 

[binxyboo]

In my job, I HAVE to go back to work for at least 3 months following Mat Leave, or I have to pay back anything they gave me during my leave.
Check your T&C.

 

[snailien]

In my job, I HAVE to go back to work for at least 3 months following Mat Leave, or I have to pay back anything they gave me during my leave.
Check your T&C.

Snap! Sucks doesn't it... but i get more than SMP so not all bad. I am currently waiting to hear if I have been granted voluntary redundancy. Fingers crossed!

cherryglitter - do you get standard SMP or do your company pay you extra money? When does your maternity leave finish? Usually 9 months, sometimes 12... Do you have the terms and conditions in your contract?

 

[LankyDoodle]

You do NOT EVER have to pay back ANY SMP. If you receive company mat pay on top of SMP then you may have to pay that back.

 

[bubbles123]

Yep, Your employer claims SMP back from the Inland Revenue - they don't pay it themselves so they can't ask for it back. Statutory maternity pay is 6 weeks at 90% then 33 weeks at statutory (£124.88) per week then you can take an additional 3 months unpaid. You only have to pay money back if your company paid you any more than this.
It does depend on your contract. I got statutory plus 12 weeks on half pay. So if I don't go back for at least 3 months I have to repay the half pay but none of the statutory. I was quite annoyed about this as I wasn't told the half pay was repayable and only found out by chance and saved it up so I can repay it! So definitely double check your contract. Could you possibly delay resigning until you're received all of your SMP? What I plan to do personally is resign as soon as SMP ends and the three months additional unpaid leave begins, so that unpaid leave can be my notice (I will have to pay back the 3 months half pay).

 

[cherryglitter]

Thats okay then, I don't get anything from the company at all. It's all SMP.
Im assuming I just hand my notice in (normally one month). So will see how it goes.
I might do the decent thing and go in and see my old manager tomorrow and explain what im doing. I think I am going back to work relatively early but I am dying to get back into work. Madness. xx

 

[cherryglitter]

I was going to wait for my maternity leave to end but im not too sure when this is, im pretty sure its October. I would have to go back in May next year so if I take away three months, then my Mat pay ends in Feb?! Does that make sense lol. xxx

 

[LankyDoodle]

You get 9 months paid so if you started yours in May, your pay ends in Feb. And yes, I think you're stark raving bonkers. PMSL!

 

[cherryglitter]

I know, it's just the place I want to work in is taking people now! It's right round the corner from me too. Just wondering whether to risk leaving it until feb to appy! Decisions decisions! xx

 

[Helabela]

In my job, I HAVE to go back to work for at least 3 months following Mat Leave, or I have to pay back anything they gave me during my leave.
Check your T&C.

Snap! Sucks doesn't it... but i get more than SMP so not all bad. I am currently waiting to hear if I have been granted voluntary redundancy. Fingers crossed!

cherryglitter - do you get standard SMP or do your company pay you extra money? When does your maternity leave finish? Usually 9 months, sometimes 12... Do you have the terms and conditions in your contract?

how do you go about being granted voluntary redudancy? im hoping this may be an option for me!

 

[binxyboo]

Sorry - I should have made myself clear.
My employer pays me Maternity pay for 6 months on top of SMP. If I didn't go back to work for at least 3 months, I would have a lot of money to pay back to my employer!!