Maternity leave

[TubbyTommy]

My wife is going on maternity leave soon and we have started to wonder if she has to go back after and how long does she have to go back for until she can leave. She works in child care but isn't enjoying where she works. Hopefully someone can help.

[bonsai]

She doesn't have to at all. Loads of people go on maternity leave then once they've had all their free money they tell their employer that they're not going back.

[oldbanger]

You usually have to repay any enhanced package if you don't go back at all though. Certainly my employer insists on 6 months work out of you afterwards if you want to keep more than the statutory minimum maternity payment.

[TubbyTommy]

Thanks for your help, she will be getting normal pay for the first 6 months then will be on statutory pay I believe for the following 6 months.

[Dupont666]

TubbyTommy said:

Thanks for your help, she will be getting normal pay for the first 6 months then will be on statutory pay I believe for the following 6 months.

And then she wants to tell them to stick their job after they have paid her for a year?

Sorry but that would be harsh to the company no matter how ever much she disliked it.

[Cookie172]

If she really has no intention of going back, surely the right thing to do is give notice now?

[susanq]

I fear it won't be long before employers refrain from employing women of breeding age, and rightly so if this is how they get treated.

[TubbyTommy]

She has said she would go back for 6 months, but what I meant to say was is there a minimum time of say a year before she can just leave?

[Who me ?]

From what my daughter said -maternity pay is paid by employer and recouped from Government sources .Some firms do offer more than statutory rights .
see http://www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/maternity_leave

[scirocco265]

[quote=Who me ?]From what my daughter said -maternity pay is paid by employer and recouped from Government sources .Some firms do offer more than statutory rights .
see http://www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/maternity_leave
[/quote]

The money can only be recouped from the Gubberment up to the statutory limit, and then only if it is a SME.

[edc]

How much you can reclaim depends on how much Class 1 NIC you pay. I'm sure it is accessible on the HMRC website.

[Amateurish]

Statutory maternity pay is 90% of full pay for 6 weeks then SMP for 33 weeks (IIRC) then no pay for 13 weeks. Anything your employer pays you above this can be recouped depending on your employer's own policies.

You wife's employer will have a policy on this - you can only ask.