Maternity Leave and Loyalty to the Company?

Question

Ok, I work in a small office (only me, the accounts lady and the boss) and have been here for 2 years. My fiance and me are getting married in September and are thinking about trying for a baby shortly after although we have not discussed this with anyone.

Anyway the accounts lady (in her 60's) was harping on about the new maternity law where you are entitled to 9 months off with SMP and she was saying that she doesnt see how a company of this size could even consider holding someones job open for that amount of time, taking into consideration that someone would have to be in here for two months prior for training considering what a diverse role I have and it seemed that she was sort of pre-warning me. I already feel bad that I might leave to have a baby but I have every intention of coming back to work but is there anything they can do to "push me out" as such.

And the thing is the boss has always said to me that when she retires, I will undertake certain traning and be managing the accounts side of things so I dont want to mess my career up.

Answer 1

Honey,

Let me say this...while praising you for considering your career while planning to be a wife and mom, I say ALWAYS put your family first!!!!!!

As for Ms. 60 year old bitter office lady....she's a hater, mad that she's not young and vibrant anymore.

I'm in my early 30's, a wife, mom and career woman. It is possible to do it all. Forget the the folks who have nothing positive to say and when the time is right (like when you're pregnant and showing) then go talk to your boss, let him/her know your intentions. Communicate that you definitely want to come back. That's all that needs to be said.

You should never apologize for wanting to get married and have children...that's insane. You also should never have to jutify that to anyone either....tell folks to mind there business!!!

Getting married, having children, having a career is all part of the American dream...so to speak. If your boss doesn't understand that then tough, you may want to re-think where you work and start looking for another job that offers more flexibility.

Please keep in mind, the Family Medical Leave Act is a LAW and is backed by the federal government. They can't fire you b/c you are leaving to have a baby. They'd have to do what millions of other employees do....train a temp to hold things together until you return.

You go get married and have a baby, the rest will fall into place.

Good Luck!!!

Answer 2

you are legally entitled to paid time off for maternity leave. If you return immediately after Statutory maternity leave, your job must be held for you. If you decide to take additional maternity leave, which is unpaid, they have to take you back, but it doesn't have to be exactly the same role, so in theory they could then make you a junior to the person who covered your leave.
Statutory maternity pay is all they have to give you, and this covered by the government, for the time of your leave. Any time in advance of when you start will have to be covered by the company.
At the time you should make it clear that you do want to come back, immediately after your sml. If you feel you are being forced to leave because you are pregnant, or that by returning from leave you are not being treated the same, you would have reason to take action. Don't let anyone make you feel bad for thinking about having a baby and taking time off afterwards.

Answer 3

Dealing with staff having babies, going on long term sick, turning in poor performance, throwing a strop, is just part of managing a business. Your employer will have to deal with your maternity situation if and when it arises. Your colleague would not have had maternity rights when she had children (and neither did I), so she may feel a bit bitter.
We fought for the right to be able to chose to have children or not and this is now enshrined in employment law, so you are entitled to do with your life what you will. As the previous answerer has pointed out, this is your right and there is plenty of case law on the side of women who have been unfairly dismissed for having a baby.

Answer 4

no longer extremely a comics question yet... confident, extremely some women say that they are going to or won't bypass lower back after the toddler is born and finally end up changing their minds. Maternity bypass away in the U. S. is normally filed an identical way as the different long-term medical bypass away. a woman has to put in her time to be eligible or maybe then you definately purely get approximately 2/3 of your usual paycheck and finally end up employing very own ill/trip time for something. If something have been to happen and you mandatory to bypass lower back to artwork after having the toddler, you will desire to finally end up beginning over in a job seek and the business enterprise might have long gone to the hassle of having to locate and prepare a sparkling worker to replace you.

Answer 5

No, legally they have to keep your job for you, you can take 9 months SMP (at £104 a week) and you are also entitled to a further 3 months AML (addition maternity leave) which is unpaid. After this you have to either return to work or give your notice. They cannot get rid of you just because you want to have a baby.

Read more about it here:-
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/ni17a/intro/

You can download leaflets with everything you need to know from this government website:-
http://www.dti.gov.uk/employment/employment-legislation/employment-guidance/page34031.html

If they do discriminate against you because you are a female taking time off to have a baby, this is sex discrimination. You might also want to read this booklet, it tells you what your employer must do legally:-
http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file13952.pdf
.

Answer 6

If you really like your job and want a career working there, take the minimum amount of time off, 6 wks..and find a good babysitter. During that time you will be able to collect disability and they must take you back (what if you had surgery?) Explain at the time you find out you're pregnant that you will train a temp. to handle your workload while you're out for the 6 weeks.

good luck!

Answer 7

dont worry about things like this until it happens,feelings change all the time ,and when and if you have a baby you may decide not to go back to work,you may be in a diffrent job even by then