Little Bit of Green

There was a time when a woman who was in a relationship could concentrate completely on the task of running a home and raising children, full-time jobs in themselves. Those times have changed to a degree, though, as society and our economic needs often come together to dictate that most mums have to work. Of course, much attention is paid to the pending arrival, but you do need to focus on your rights, as well.

1. You are entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave at a maximum. This entitlement is paid to you, regardless of whether you work on a full or a part-time basis, or how long you’ve worked for a particular employer.

2. This maternity leave will be subdivided into two categories and will affect the amount of money that you receive from your employer accordingly.

3. Ordinary maternity leave lasts for 26 weeks. You will be entitled to receive all your contractual rights during this period of time and to retain any perks such as a company car and your paid holiday earning ability. In other words, you are treated exactly as if you are still working, except for the payment you receive.

4. After the first 26, the following 13 weeks are known as “additional maternity leave,” but your contractual rights only apply in certain areas. Specifically, the notice remains the same, redundancy pay availability is not changed and the standard grievance and disciplinary issues remain in force.

5. Statutory rights are effective throughout the entire period of maternity leave, including the potential for another 13 weeks of leave, which is unpaid. You may not be discriminated against and must not be passed over in favour of another employee in the event of redundancy.

6. You will qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) if you have 26 weeks of continuous service at the end of the 15th week before the baby is expected. Statutory maternity pay is determined based upon a period of calculation – eight weeks up to and including the 15th week before baby is due. You must have earned at least £87 per week before tax during this period. If you do not so qualify, you may be entitled to receive Maternity Allowance.

7. The earliest you are able to start your maternity leave is 11 weeks before your baby is due, but it is up to you to decide and you can work right up until the birth. Your leave starts and your pay starts on the day you start your maternity leave.

8. You are not legally obliged to tell your employer that you are pregnant until 15 weeks before the baby is expected.

9. As a pregnant mother, you are entitled to free National Health Service, dental treatment and prescriptions as well.

10. It may often be in your best interests to tell your employer you are pregnant as soon as possible, as you will then be entitled to a reasonable amount of time off with pay for doctor’s appointments. In these circumstances, you may not be expected to handle certain substances, or to be involved in some tasks such as heavy lifting, in order to protect the unborn child.

There are so many things to think about when preparing to live life as an expectant mother, and you should certainly consider professional coaching to help you prepare. Many others take advantage of coaching for women during these times and online life coaching can be advantageous during every single phase of your life.

It’s important to note that this article is only intended as a general guide for women who are getting ready for maternity leave in the UK. It’s important to keep in mind that maternity legislation can – and does, change quite frequently. This article is written in good faith with information available to the author at the time of writing. It is not intended to replace your own research.

Amanda Alexander, Director of Coaching Mums, helps pressure-cooked, stressed working mums who long for more hours in the day. Through her coaching programmes and online life coaching courses, Amanda shows mums how to create fulfilling and successful lives. For your simple 5 step guide to balance as a working mum, download our free eBook today!

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