When MAT leave is not a factor...

[immy11]

When would you quit work?
To receive MAT leave you need to be with the company for a year. I got pregnant right after I started so I am just quitting when the time comes.

I manage a retail store which is very physically demanding with all the stock and completly changing the store layout every week. I have cut back to 4 days a week but it doesn't really help.

When would you quit? Has anyone been in a similar situation? I'm thinking 32 weeks, is that lazy?

 

[immy11]

I also have lots of intense braxton hicks all day..

 

[rowleypolie]

I found out I was pregnant the same day I started at my job with dd1, I was due march 26 and I stopped working feb 15, I think I was 35 weeks. I didnt have any plans of returning, and didn't qualify for mat leave. Don't feel lazy if you are done at 32 weeks

 

[Leesy]

I don't think it's lazy. I worked up until 36 weeks but that's because we needed the money. You know you can still request Mat leave it just doesn't have to be granted if you haven't been there for the year. Some employers still grant it though.

 

[iwantabub]

I just got put on mat leave ... The hitting thread... And I'm nearly 35 weekS... This is my first day and I'm bored hahah...

It's basically whenever financially viable... I don't get mat pay til bub comes so I now have 5 weeks unpaid so it's whenever u can afford it

 

[xXDeetsXx]

i went at 34 weeks, but could have quite easily gone at 30!!

x

 

[Anderson8]

Even though you may not e entitled to mat leave, you should still be entitled to maternity allowance
https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance

 

[Leesy]

Even though you may not e entitled to mat leave, you should still be entitled to maternity allowance
https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance

In Aus we get 18 weeks pay from the gov at minimum wage but to qualify you need to have worked a certain amount of hours over a certain period of time to be eligible.

 

[immy11]

Leesy - is this as well as the baby bonus?

 

[iwantabub]

It's one or the other... Baby bonus is tax free paid mat isn't.... It's $606 for 18 weeks in total

 

[Leesy]

Even though you may not e entitled to mat leave, you should still be entitled to maternity allowance
https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance

Leesy - is this as well as the baby bonus?

No it's one or the other - your choice. Paid parental leave is a larger sum overall though. Centrelink have a comparison calculator so you can work out what will be best for your situation. They only way you can claim both is if you have twins There are different criteria to be eligible so you only choose if you are eligible to. Then there's the family tax benefits you can claim on top.

ETA: https://www.humanservices.gov.au/cu...-leave-pay/eligibility-for-parental-leave-pay

I'm not 100% but I think by memory you have to work 330 hours over a period of 10 months with no more than a 2 month period of not working. This is usually paid by your employer through their payroll but reimbursed to them by the gov.

 

[immy11]

I might just go to centrelink and sort it out, thanks so much!

 

[Leesy]

I might just go to centrelink and sort it out, thanks so much!

No probs! It's worth looking into. Good Luck!

 

[iwantabub]

Beware they are useless and will tell u to go do it all online anyway... They won't make an appt to see u and won't assess u ... It's all online application or at worst case u can get the forms and read em and they will get u to go home and fill out...

They will not see u as it not considered a payment that needs assessment it's your own job to look into... Ridiculous but true... Well at least that's how it is here in SA...

If u go online it has a calculator and info... They will chuck u on their comp when u get there and get u to do that anyway and that's it so I suggest u just google it for now
Well that's my experience anyway

 

[Leesy]

Beware they are useless and will tell u to go do it all online anyway... They won't make an appt to see u and won't assess u ... It's all online application or at worst case u can get the forms and read em and they will get u to go home and fill out...

They will not see u as it not considered a payment that needs assessment it's your own job to look into... Ridiculous but true... Well at least that's how it is here in SA...

If u go online it has a calculator and info... They will chuck u on their comp when u get there and get u to do that anyway and that's it so I suggest u just google it for now
Well that's my experience anyway

iwantabub is right, I did it all online - much easier than trying to deal with crentrelink in person or on the phone. That link I posted will have all the info you need on there.

 

[divershona]

i started my maternity leave at 29 weeks officially but i had holiday that had to be used up before that so I actually finished at 24 weeks. the combination of my back and the lack of space behind the counter where I work meant I was already struggling at 24 weeks! I could have gone right up to the day before my c-section in theory but I wanted to have some extra time off before DS is born to spend with DD and get some quality time with just me and her.

 

[Smudge101]

I'm trying to work as far as I can. Currently plan My last day in the office to be 38+2 then take 1 weeks Annual leave before 'official' mat leave starts at 39+5

Not for any financial aspect (although I do get mat pay) but I just know I'll get bored waiting at home, especially given that this is my first and I could go over by up to 2 weeks.

 

[w8ing4bean]

Im going at 32 weeks, brought it forward from 34 as really struggling. 5 weeks hols then mat leave starts at 37 weeks x