Do you get full pay when on maternity leave?

Question

I'm not pregnant yet but was just wondering how that goes, i work in a school. Do you get full pay for 6 mth n if you want another 6 mth off thts unpaid?

Answer 1

It is a little bit more complicated than that. These are the basics of what you'd be entitled to if you got pregnant. This is relevant for babies born after 1st April 2007, which seeing as you aren't pregnant yet, I'm sure they will be after that date!

If you are an employee you are entitled to 26 weeks Ordinary Matenity Leave, followed by a further 26 weeks Additional Maternity Leave.

To get Statutory Maternity Pay, you must have been:
~Employed by your employer into the qualifying week which is the 15th week before the week your baby is due.
~Employed by the same employer without a break for at least 26 weeks into the 15th week before the week your baby is due. Part weeks count as full weeks.
~Earning before tax an average of £84.00 a week. This is called the Lower Earnings Limit for National Insurance Contributions (NI) and is the amount you have to earn to qualify for benefits. You have to earn more than this amount before you actually start paying NI.

If you qualify, you will get:
First 6 weeks at 90% of your average weekly earnings with no upper limit.
Remaining 33 weeks Standard rate or a rate equal to 90% of your average weekly earnings. You will get whichever rate is lower. The standard rate from April 2006 is £108.85.
For more on SMP, see:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/statutory_maternity_pay.asp


If you don't qaulify, you may be entitled to Materity Allowance. For more, see:
http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Customers/WorkingAgeBenefits/Dev_008115.xml.html

Answer 2

I am 5 month preg and work for Local Government which I think schools are also based on. babies due after April 07 you would qualify for 39 weeks maternity leave now not 26!!
weeks 1-6 = 90% pay
weeks 7-18 = 50% pay and stat mat pay
weeks 19-39 = flat rate mat pay. (rough £108 pw)
have a look on your internal intranet under maternity and this should tell you. You can leave up to 11 weeks before your EDD. You can have a further 6 months off unpaid if you wish. Hope this helps. Only going by what i have been told you would probably need to email direct to your HR to find out as it may vary.

Answer 3

Seems as though alot of people are unsure what the actual details are! For babies born after 1 April 2007, a woman is entitled to 39 weeks maternity paid, and a further 39 weeks unpaid, if you wish to take it! The first 39 weeks pay is as follows: the first 6 weeks is at 90% of your pay, and the next 33 weeks is statutory maternity pay, which at the moment is £108 per week! Not sure if the £'s also change in April or not! This is in the UK!

Answer 4

Ah, there's a nice idea... But not necessarily. In fact probably not unless you work for a really good company, and even then there are usually strings.

The statutory minimum (UK) is 6 weeks at 90% of your salary, then 20 weeks at statutory. I had this in 2006, its about £120 a week. My monthly pay after NI etc worked out to about £450. If your company offers more than this (they don't have to), check for clauses that mean you have to repay them if you don't return to work (I know you think you would, but that little bundle can really change your outlook on life...)! This is SMP (Statutory Maternity Pay). After 26 weeks, as long as you have 2 years (?) with your employer, you are entitled to AML (Additional Maternity Leave). Don't get excited though, as they don't have to pay you at all for this!!

The good news is that while you are on SMP they have to keep your job for you. While on AML they have to keep a job for you.

Start saving!!!!

Answer 5

It depends on where you work. I know at my job we have a 6 wk leave at 60% pay. Also another 6 wks not paid if you wish to go that route. You may very well have the option at your work to have a 6 month full pay leave. I would check in your work manual for maternity leave. It should explain what they offer.

Answer 6

No. Generally you get 6 weeks at 90% of your full pay with no upper limit, then 39 weeks at a max of £108. That's statutory pay. Some companies offer full pay but I doubt that a school would.

Answer 7

I've never heard of full pay maternity leave. I want to work there! Most companies give you 6 weeks off at 60 to 80% pay. You may have to use up any vacation time you have left or possibly be put on disability.

Answer 8

Depends where you work, everywhere is different although in April 07 new laws are coming in and you can get SMP (£112 a week from April) for 39 weeks instead of 26.

Answer 9

90% of your pay i think, and you can extend your leave by 6 months unpaid yes but they have to keep your position open for you, your pay also depends on how long you have been with your employer

Answer 10

You get 90% of your pay for the first six months. I dont think you get paid if you want another 6 months, you have to go onto benefits but you are still entitled to go back to your same job.