Has any one taken maternity leave whilst working for asda?

[Twister]

Just wondering if anyone knows if they offer their own maternity pay on top of the standard smp? The reason I ask is because my manager tried telling me if i didn't return i'd have to pay the maternity pay back, I told her I wouldn't have to pay the smp back but she said I would either she's completely wrong or is thinking of what ever company mat pay they may offer. I have checked the staff handbook and all it talks about is smp and something about a 'top up' if you've been there a year at 11 weeks before baby is due and return from mat leave within 39 weeks, which won't apply to me anyway.

I don't plan to return after mat leave has finished and don't want to end up having to pay their maternity pay back. I'm not due back in work till Friday and plan on asking someone about it all then, but thought i'd ask here since its just going to be playing on my mind anyway. I'm assuming if they do have their own maternity pay policy I'd be able to say no to any additional maternity pay they may offer and just take the standard smp? Otherwise I may as well just hand my notice in.

Thanks in advance.

Please note: I am aware that smp does not have to be paid back.

 

[MrsRH]

you are totally right SMP does not have to be paid back but enhanced mat pay (or top up as it can be called ) does it stated in your contract.

Perhpas go straight to HR for clarification; sounds as if your manager isn't really clued up
xxx

 

[Twister]

Yeah definitely going to speak to the relevant people/person on Friday. My manager definitely isn't clued up tbh, she tried to tell me I couldn't start mat leave until 32 weeks...

I'm guessing I can refuse any enhanced maternity pay that may be offered if I want to? Of course they may think it'a an unusual request but surely they'd be open to it, it will save them some money at least! If it turns out they do offer something then I plan on telling them both verbally and in writing that I don't want it and that I am only interested in receiving SMP, so we both have a record of it. I just don't want the burden of having to pay it back when I don't return and don't want to feel like I have to return to avoid having to pay it back.

 

[kit10grl]

Hi, im a manager with asda and went had a look on wire for you at the policies and booklets for you. Hourly paid colleagues only get SMP and it DOES state in black and white on page 27 of the hourly paid colleague maternity book that if you dont return to work after mat leave you DO NOT have to pay back any money paid to you. I also checked the salaried book as managers do get a bit of company pay on top of SMP and it also says that if a mamager left after mat leave they wouldnt need to pay back the company pay either so your manager is talking rubbish.

If they continue to try and say you do ask to see the document on wire with her. All managers have access to it. The link is on the homepage of wire, down the left hand side near the bottom under 'Retail People policies' Then you look under maternity and next to that is the link for both maternity booklets.

As i said the statement about not having to pay back is on page 27 about half way down. Ask her to print the book off for you as you should have been issued it when you told them you were pregnant.

Hope this helps

 

[Twister]

Omg thank you that's really helpful kit10grl! I knew my manager was talking rubbish about having to pay back the smp but thought she may have gotten confused with some sort of company mat pay but now I know she really was just talking bobbins! And not for the first time either. I'm sure citizens advice would have something to say about it if they did try to claim it back since employers get it reimbursed from the government anyway! I asked someone in the office today and they also said it's just smp which is good to know!

They never gave me a copy of the book your talking about, I actually asked about that too but they said its all in the handbook. Oh well, I have all the information I need now
anyway, matb1 and letter is all handed in now so I'm just waiting to hear back from them and make sure my mat leave date has been made official and everything's all sorted, have a feeling I may have to do a bit of chasing tbh, things tend to get forgotten about a lot. Thanks again

 

[kit10grl]

if you have an email address i could download a copy of the book and mail it to you if you like. pm if you want it and i will take my memory stick into work tomorow for it. Its got more details than whats in the handbook about what happens to your sharesaves, and info about the chidlcare voucher scheme. its worth a read. (if only to prove your manager wrong about stuff lol)

 

[em4emma]

Hi kit10grl
If I pm you with my email address would you be able to send me a copy of the maternity booklet you have on wire please?
I have asked my manager repeatedly but received nothing. I don't get chance to see anyone else (ie people team) as I work evenings and am very tied up in the day.
I know absolutely nothing about maternity leave and am getting very stressed out about it all now.
Best laugh is - my manager has just come back off maternity leave!

 

[Havingkittens]

Hi kit10grl,

I know its a long time since you posted in the forum but wondered if you could help. Ive worked for Asda for 1 1/2yrs now but recently changed stores due to relocation. They knew when transfering me I was pregnant, on arrival at my new store i put in writing my intention of maternity. I knw they have 28 days to reply, but its now 20 days since I handed in my letter and had no reply, each time I ask I get told ask next week. They havent even asked for my MAT form and got told today not to worry ive ages to go?! If I dont get a reply will i get leave? Do you still have a copy of the maternity policy I could look at please?. Thanks

 

[kit10grl]

Hi kit10grl,

I know its a long time since you posted in the forum but wondered if you could help. Ive worked for Asda for 1 1/2yrs now but recently changed stores due to relocation. They knew when transfering me I was pregnant, on arrival at my new store i put in writing my intention of maternity. I knw they have 28 days to reply, but its now 20 days since I handed in my letter and had no reply, each time I ask I get told ask next week. They havent even asked for my MAT form and got told today not to worry ive ages to go?! If I dont get a reply will i get leave? Do you still have a copy of the maternity policy I could look at please?. Thanks

generally most people teams are pretty informal when it comes tothis stuff to be honest. i never handed in matb1's for either of my pregnancies, i never actually gave themwritten notice etiher now i think on it. You will still get your leave but i know a lot of PSM's are undergoing particular changes right now with a few company policies changing so your might just be genuinly busy. still frustrating though. i never got notice of my payments through till after i was on leave but payments were still made on time so dont worry. the booklet is availabel for donwload on wire and any manager has access so if you get no joy with the people team but are friendly with another one ask them to print the book off for you to llok through.

 

[kit10grl]

Hi kit10grl
If I pm you with my email address would you be able to send me a copy of the maternity booklet you have on wire please?
I have asked my manager repeatedly but received nothing. I don't get chance to see anyone else (ie people team) as I work evenings and am very tied up in the day.
I know absolutely nothing about maternity leave and am getting very stressed out about it all now.
Best laugh is - my manager has just come back off maternity leave!

sorry missed this request, was dealing with a very sick baby at the time.

 

[suzib76]

Hi kit10grl
If I pm you with my email address would you be able to send me a copy of the maternity booklet you have on wire please?
I have asked my manager repeatedly but received nothing. I don't get chance to see anyone else (ie people team) as I work evenings and am very tied up in the day.
I know absolutely nothing about maternity leave and am getting very stressed out about it all now.
Best laugh is - my manager has just come back off maternity leave!

sorry missed this request, was dealing with a very sick baby at the time.

Probably just as well really, the person only made that one post, could have been anyone!

 

[Pattie46]

Iam having probs at work would you be able to email me details on wire too,

 

[kit10grl]

Iam having probs at work would you be able to email me details on wire too,

Sorry I am no longer working with Asda.