Me + My Baby
Going Back to Work
As soon as you discover you're pregnant you'll probably be trying to weigh up whether you want to return to work when your baby's born. There's definitely a lot to consider, and you've got to make sure that both you and your partner are happy with the decision.
Women choose to go back to work after the birth of their baby for a number of reasons. The most obvious reason is money and many of us find that we have to go back to work in order to meet our monthly outgoings. However, this may be a good time to review your budget and look at whether making cost savings in other areas means that you could have the option of staying at home. A lot of women also feel that giving up work would mean losing a part of their identity or social network. These are all factors to take into consideration when deciding whether you want to return to work, and it may be useful to talk to other parents you know about the choices they have made.
Maternity Pay
Most new mums are able to take at least six months paid leave after the birth of their baby. The amount of money you'll receive depends on your employer's maternity package, but the bottom line is that all mums who were employed in the same job before becoming pregnant and who, on average, earn at least £82 per week are entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). This is 90% of your average pay for the first six weeks, then £106 per week, or 90% of your average earnings if this is lower, for the following 20 weeks. If you go back to work after this period you have the right to return to the same job. If you started your job before becoming pregnant you're entitled to a further 26 weeks unpaid Additional Maternity Leave (AML). If you take AML you have the right to return to the same job or a suitable alternative. Your employer's Human Resources or Personnel department is probably the best place to contact to find out more.
But what if you're self-employed, unemployed or don't qualify for SMP? You may be able to claim Maternity Allowance, which is £106 for 26 weeks, or 90% of your average earnings if that's lower. You can claim this if you worked for at least 26 of the 66 weeks before your expected week of childbirth and, on average, you earned more than £30 for 13 of those 66 weeks. If all that sounds confusing then your local Jobcentre Plus will be able to talk it through with you and give you the application form. For more advice on your maternity rights check out the Maternity Alliance website.
Flexible Working
When you tell your employer you're pregnant you might want to talk through the issue of flexible working with them. All parents with children under the age of six have the right to ask for a change in working hours - you can ask for part-time, reduced or flexible hours, request a change in when you work or ask them to consider the possibility of you working from home part of the time. The Maternity Alliance website has more information on your rights as a parent, plus guidance on how to approach your employer. You might find that reducing your hours makes going back to work easier on you and your baby.
Maternity Pay
Most new mums are able to take at least six months paid leave after the birth of their baby. The amount of money you'll receive depends on your employer's maternity package, but the bottom line is that all mums who were employed in the same job before becoming pregnant and who, on average, earn at least £82 per week are entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). This is 90% of your average pay for the first six weeks, then £106 per week, or 90% of your average earnings if this is lower, for the following 20 weeks. If you go back to work after this period you have the right to return to the same job. If you started your job before becoming pregnant you're entitled to a further 26 weeks unpaid Additional Maternity Leave (AML). If you take AML you have the right to return to the same job or a suitable alternative. Your employer's Human Resources or Personnel department is probably the best place to contact to find out more.
But what if you're self-employed, unemployed or don't qualify for SMP? You may be able to claim Maternity Allowance, which is £106 for 26 weeks, or 90% of your average earnings if that's lower. You can claim this if you worked for at least 26 of the 66 weeks before your expected week of childbirth and, on average, you earned more than £30 for 13 of those 66 weeks. If all that sounds confusing then your local Jobcentre Plus will be able to talk it through with you and give you the application form. For more advice on your maternity rights check out the Maternity Alliance website.
Flexible Working
When you tell your employer you're pregnant you might want to talk through the issue of flexible working with them. All parents with children under the age of six have the right to ask for a change in working hours - you can ask for part-time, reduced or flexible hours, request a change in when you work or ask them to consider the possibility of you working from home part of the time. The Maternity Alliance website has more information on your rights as a parent, plus guidance on how to approach your employer. You might find that reducing your hours makes going back to work easier on you and your baby.
