Maternity Pay...confused!! - sorry so long!

[tink23]

So I'm getting conflicting opinions on maternity pay and wondered if anyone else knew more..

Basically I want to know, if I receive full pay whilst off on maternity from my employer...and then decide not to go back to work, will I have to pay back the money they paid me?

Have been told by a few people (including my midwife, and a friend who has been pregnant twice) that I won't have to pay it back, and I won't have to go back to my job to work any notice...but then have other people telling me I will have to pay it back or go back for a few months...who is right?!!

Basically I need full mat pay (as I'm sure we all do) but I do not wish to return to my job once I've had the baby. I'm going to get another part-time job but with another company, I have absolutely NO DESIRE whatsoever to return to my current employer! Helppp!!

 

[ummar]

The only standard Maternity Pay scheme people can definitively tell you about is the Statutory Maternity Pay, detailed on the government website direct.gov https://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyT...ort/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_10018741

Statutory Maternity Pay does not have to be returned if you decide not to return to your job.

Anything different - such as your situation where you say you will receive full pay during your leave, is difficult to comment on because different companies have different policies.

Women on this forum, whose companies offer full pay during maternity leave (which is above and beyond the SMP), have shared different experiences. Some say they will not have to pay anything back to their company even if they do not return, while others say they HAVE to return or else pay the money back.

To get to the point - IT DEPENDS ON YOUR COMPANY POLICY, so you may need to speak to HR about what your options are.

 

[LoolaBear]

right it is all a bit complcated hun really.
first of all you need to find out your current employers maternity policy. if it is just the basic maternity pay with no added extras from your employer then no you do not have to pay anything back but you cannot start employment with anyone else during this time on maternity pay as you will loose your maternity pay (i.e claiming to be on maternity leave with one employer whilst working for another - benefit fraud)
but once your actual paid leave has ended you can then inform your current employer you wish to leave (any sooner they can sign you off from them before your paid leave ends thus loosing your maternity pay) and then apply to start working at the new place.
if your current employer pays added extras whilst on maternity leave this you do have to pay back if you dont go back to work for them for a certain length of time (i.e my current employer pays me my full wage for 6 months and not just standard maternity pay if i dont return to work for one calender month after my maternity leave i have to pay the extra they paid me on top of my maternity pay back).
so both of what you have heard is right but its depending on the situation, if they pay just standard rate of maternity pay no you dont have to pay anything back as they claim it back off the government and you dont have to return to work for a certain length of time after mat leave. if they do pay added extras on top of standard maternity pay then you either have to pay back the extra if you terminate your employment or return to work there for a certain length of time before ending you employment.

hope that helps! xx

 

[JA1988]

The only standard Maternity Pay scheme people can definitively tell you about is the Statutory Maternity Pay, detailed on the government website direct.gov https://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyT...ort/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_10018741

Statutory Maternity Pay does not have to be returned if you decide not to return to your job.

Anything different - such as your situation where you say you will receive full pay during your leave, is difficult to comment on because different companies have different policies.

Women on this forum, whose companies offer full pay during maternity leave (which is above and beyond the SMP), have shared different experiences. Some say they will not have to pay anything back to their company even if they do not return, while others say they HAVE to return or else pay the money back.

To get to the point - IT DEPENDS ON YOUR COMPANY POLICY, so you may need to speak to HR about what your options are.

This is exactly right, I work for Marks and Spencers Money so a very large company and basically their policy is pretty much identical to a lot of large employers in that I get 16 weeks on my full monthly wage and then it goes down to statutory pay but I MUST return to work for at least 16 weeks and if I do not work the full 16 weeks back ie if I only work 8 weeks back then I will owe them 8 weeks full wage and they will recover that from me via any means. My HR dept ran through this with me and stressed that if I do not wish to return I am to let them know now and I should only take statutory mat pay from the government and not the company pay.

So basically I would just advise you to ask your HR dept! Hope that helps hun

 

[Bongolina]

Each empolyer works differently, you need to check the details of their policy. HR should be able to provide you with this. You're really lucky to be getting full pay, i only get 90% for 6 weeks and then its statutory from there! Definitely get them to make it clear to you what you have to do. xx

 

[ummar]

Each empolyer works differently, you need to check the details of their policy. HR should be able to provide you with this. You're really lucky to be getting full pay, i only get 90% for 6 weeks and then its statutory from there! Definitely get them to make it clear to you what you have to do. xx

Yup, my employer has no specific maternity policy - only what the government mandates so I also get 6 weeks at 90% pay and then £124.88 per week thereafter for 33 weeks.

 

[tink23]

right so if u get the 6 weeks at 90% then the remaining on £124 odd a week then u won't have to return n work.....? I still don't get whether the 90% counts as added pay or not..

 

[allyk]

hiya, i work for a mjor utility company and we got 14 weeks at 90% pay then go onto SMP for rest of maternity leave.

I have to work for 8 weeks after i finish my maternity leave otherwise i will have to pay them back the 14 weeks pay as the company pays that not the goverment.

If your company has no maternity policy then you would only recive SMP, i really would advise you to talk to your hr dept, you will have to notify them that you are pregnant anyway

Hope this helps at all.

 

[beccybobeccy]

right so if u get the 6 weeks at 90% then the remaining on £124 odd a week then u won't have to return n work.....? I still don't get whether the 90% counts as added pay or not..

The 90% for the 1st 6 weeks (and the £124.88 until WK 39) is the statutory amount so you should not be asked to pay this portion if you did not return.

 

[CeriB]

It really does depend on your employer. I get 2wks @ full pay, 4wks @ 90%, 12wks @ 50%+SMP then 22wks @ SMP only. If I do not return to work at all, I have to repay the 12wks @ 50%. I would have to return to work for 3months before leaving if I didn't want to pay this back. However, I can go back reduced hours/part time and still keep the full mat pay.

I was so confused about this!!! In the end, I emailed Personnell and asked all the questions I needed - they are not able to tell my manager what I wanted to know/do anyway, so they would never know!

Get hold of your company policy or speak to your personnell department directly - I think it is the only way to find out for sure.