Temporary work and maternity pay?

Hi,

I have just found out i'm pregnant. Me and my hubby are over the moon, however as we have just moved to a new area I am working for a temping agency. The office that I am at has offered me a fixed term contract untill January. (Baby will be born in Feb).
If I go with the fixed term contract I will be out of a job in Jan and have no maternity pay rights. But if I stay with the agency then I will get SMP.

If I applied for a completely new PERMENANT job and got it, would I be enititled to maternity pay even though I would be 8 weeks pregnant when i started?

If anyone can help it would be much appreciated. We are having a nightmare here.

Thank you,
Amy xx

Helen: they might work it out when her belly starts growing and she goes of sick with labour pains.

You wouldn't be entitled to pay with your employers, no. You would get basic government smp - same as if you were on the dole. You have to have worked there for 13 weeks or something prior to getting pregnant. Check the ACAS website.

as far as i know you only get a % of maternity pay depending on how long you are there, if you have not worked over a year you will not get full pay, you should really check it out all the laws have changed recently

I've found that you need to be employed for a year before the birth to receive the SMP. Personally, I would stick with the temp agency and be sure you get the maternity pay.

Simple answer is say nothing to no one about your pregnancy and apply for a full time position .

Once your employed they can't discriminate against you for being pregnant and unless your specifically asked if your pregnant when applying for the job you've done nothing wrong .

Good Luck with all .

if im not mistaken in order to get maternity leave, you have to be working for a company for at least1 yr? not sure.

It really depends on where you work. Where I used to work, you had to pay for "Short Term Disability" insurance. Even this, you had to have for a year before you could use it. Where ever you work, they have to allow you 6 weeks of leave, but it most likely won't be paid.

I am also pregnant and also a temp. In order to qualify for SMP you need to have been working for 6 months for the agency. This means that for the first 6 weeks of your 39 weeks you get 90% of your normal weekly earnings before going down to the standard 拢112 a week for the rest of the time. If you can't get SMP then Maternity Allowance is 拢112 a week direct from the government for 39 weeks and everyone qualifies for that.

I found these websites to be the most helpful...

http://www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/views...

this one will work out a personalised summary of what you will get when you enter your details...

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Work...

Good luck! It is all a bit confusing and unfortunately I think that SMP will be the best you can hope for... But hey - congratulations on your pregnancy - it's wonderful all the same and I'm sure the two of you will manage!

Completely depends where you are..are you in the UK? This is the UK situation..I am in a very similar situation, so have been reading up a lot on this the last few weeks!

I started working on a temporary contract for 9 months, and found out that I am pregnant 2 months later. Because I am an employee and not a contractor, I am entitled to maternity pay. As long as you have been working for an employer for 26 weeks (continuously) when your baby is due (temporary contract or not) and you are classed as an employee, you will be entitled to maternity pay.

If you decide to start a completely new job, at 8 weeks pregnant, you will be under no obligation to tell your employer that you are pregnant, as this is sex discrimination. If you decide to start a new job, it is unlikely that you would 'show' at this stage anyway, and may be able to keep it to yourself until you were about 3/4 months. Many women do not find out that they are pregnant until this stage anyway, so your employer does not have to know that you were pregnant when you started with them.

If for any reason you do not receive statutory maternity pay you will be entitled to 'maternity allowance' from the government, as long as you have earned on average at least 拢30 a week in your test period. The test period is the period of 66 weeks up to and including the week before the week your baby is due. This is designed for people who are, for example, self employed or contractors. As long as you have been paying NI, income tax etc you will be entitled to such benefits. So either way, you will be fine.

All the info in more detail is on the website below. I'm sorry if you are not in the UK, but if you are I hope this helps!! Like I say, I have been reading up on this a lot and speaking to a lot of people (including qualified solicitors), (also studied law) and I know it sounds complicated, so if you have any more questions, id be happy to help! Good luck whatever you decide :)

Hi and congratulations you will get no maternity pay from the agency either way everyone is entitled to SMP i used to work for an agencey my advice would be take the fixed term contract (that way you will no there is money coming in till jan)

as you are due in feb you declare to the goverment at 20 weeks pregnant when you are about to take mat leave advise them jan (you can take mat leave upto 12 weeksbefore the babies due date) that way from finishing work you will get 116 SMP

i am 14 weeks pregnant and am now self employed