am i entitled to anything???

[popsickle]

hi every1!!
Im 10 weeks pregnant and have just started a job at a solicitors
I would like to know if i would be entitled to any maternity leave when i eventually need to leave, also, i havent told my employer as i didn't think i would get the job if they knew, so
a) have i broken the law doing this?
b) is it possible they might get rid of me as i am in my 3 month trial and they can just let go of you on the grounds if 'it simply isnt working out'.
Im a bit worried.
If im not entitled to maternity pay, what will I be, as i won't have an income when i leave, except my boyfriend who isn't on the best salary.
someone help and put my mind at ease!
thankyou
pops x x x x x x

[squarebear]

You should have told them.

Imagine you were they employer and was told that your new starter is going off for however many weeks, you wouldn't be to happy would you?

It's not a good start to a job and I wouldn't be surprised if they don't keep you.

[popsickle]

WELL. statistically speaking, it is possible that i might not know yet at ten weeks. So thats what im going to say.
What do you want me to do, go on job seekers and laze about with all the other scrubbers, no!
i want advice not a negative opinion.
At least im trying to work. Unlike many girls my age pregant who just see it as free money and free housing!
alright?

[luckyfish]

as far as i know it SHOULDN'T make a difference if you had or hadn't told your new empolyer that you're pregnant.
it's discrimination if they choose not to employ you just because you're pregnant. so i think that it is your right to with hold that information - becaue your pregnancy is, legally,. irrelevant to your work!!
i think that you have to let them know by a certain time though - as i had to but can't remember exactly... think maybe 24weeks??? maybe someone who deals in HR will be able to tell you exactly what it's advised you do.

However - because you weren't employe with them when you were first pregnant - i'm not sure that you are entitled to SMP from your employer... again someone witha legal back ground will be able to say for sure.

[luckyfish]

have you tried looking at this website???

http://www.direct.gov.uk

[squarebear]

Just saying what is likely to happen. Sorry if it isn't what you want to hear.

[RevFunk]

How fair is this on your new employers?

People like you should be shot

[redcrx]

No you havnt broken the law.

They may not keep you on if they have any other reason not to continue your emplyment, they cant terminate your employment for the pregnancy reason.

You would not get SMP from them but youd get pay from government which i think is �90 a week.

If your partner is on a low income then he could also claim for child tax credits.

You would also get child benefit which is something like �17 a week, regardless of income.

[luckyfish]

that's not nice RevFunk!!!!
i think that it's great that posickle is trying to work - the employer can get a temp (no problem) while she is off after having had the baby.
I don't know popsickle,BUT, seen as she posted this question, it's obvious that this whole thing is on her conscience and not as evil as you think!!!

[EmEd1984]

just thought popsickle, i hope you've not posted this whilst AT your work!

anyway...
* you've not broken the law
* they can't get rid of you because you're pregnant

...but they don't have to pay you any maternity pay if you've worked for them for less than a certain amount of time, maybe its in your contract? xx

[4getmenot]

I guess it was on her lunch breaks from the times she posted

[squarebear]

But luckyfish, they are going to have to train popsickle up so why not just train the temp up? Saves having to do it twice then.

[EmEd1984]

i was thinking more they can see her internet activity on a works computer, not work time!!

[popsickle]

thankyou everyone thats really helpful

rev funks a prick

x x x x x x x

[luckyfish]

mmmm... that's true - and i'd imagine that it is very frustrating for the employer. Popsickle hasn't said how soon after having the baby she'd be going back.

when i found out i was pregnant i had just been promoted. i almost turned down the promotion and the benifits that came with it - just so that my work wasn't inconvieninced 9(or so) months later. but i didn't. when the time came for my mat leave the person doing my mat cover started 2 weeks before i needed to leave so it would all go smoothly.

i'm not sure what popsickle's job entails... just assumed it was something along the lines of PA or reception, which are pretty easy to just slot into

[k8bailey]

I really didn't know that I was pregnant when I started my job. You have to have worked for the company at least one week before you got pregnant to qualify for SMP from the employer, but the pay and the leave are entirely different things, maternity leave can be anything between 2 and 26 weeks long, (longer if you'd worked for the company longer) when you tell you're employer that you're pregnant they will have to give a form telling you why you are not entilted to SMP. You need to send that form along with an MA1 and your matb1 certificate to the job centre with some of your payslips and they will work out how much Maternity Allowance you're entitled to, it's currently �117 a week or 90% or your weekly wage whichever is less! if you need anymore help, all this info is on the DWP website.

Good luck and congratulations!!

k8.x

[carron81]

Hi

I started my maternity leave a couple of months ago. You have to be with the company at least 24 or 26 weeks before you qualify.

That www.direct.gov.uk website is a good one with all the answers.

As for you not telling your work its no big deal. You have more rights when your pregnant and even though you've just started a new job they cant sack you now as your pregnant. If they did they'd be very silly as they could get done for discrimination.

I dont think its a big deal you not telling them. They could've hired someone else and they could've lasted 2 minutes, 2 weeks , 2 years at the job. You never know. Where as you could be there right up until a couple of weeks before your due day.