Other work issues
To find out more information about other work issues that may be relevant to you, please click on the links below:
Claiming your holiday entitlement
Think about your pension
Antenatal care
Further support from your employer
Claiming your holiday entitlement
While you’re on maternity leave, you should get annual leave as if you were still at work. In fact, you may want to negotiate with your employer to use up any leftover days by going on maternity leave earlier than usual or using them at the end of your leave. Alternatively, if your employer offers this, you can also ask to have your outstanding holiday entitlement paid to you along with your salary.
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Think about your pension
Your pension may seem like a long way off and not really something you’d be considering at this time, but you should remember that your time off could have an affect on it.
State Pension
Anyone who earns less than £97 a week or who takes time out from work could face a shortfall in their state pension when they come to retire. This is because these periods normally appear as gaps in your National Insurance record.
If you are being paid Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), you will be paying National Insurance contributions as normal, so you needn’t worry about a shortfall in your pension. If you receive Maternity Allowance however, it’s likely you won’t be paying National Insurance contributions unless you are self-employed and have arranged to pay these separately.
However, if you claim Child Benefit, you’ll receive ‘Home Responsibilities Protection’ from the Government to make these amounts up – but this only comes into effect once the child is born.
Company Pensions
If you’re a member of a company pension scheme, you might find that these payments are affected because you’ll be earning less during your maternity leave. This will also be the case if you decide to go back to work part-time. You may not need to when you look at your budget, but if your pension scheme allows it, you could consider taking a short-term break from making pension repayments.
Personal Pensions
If you have a personal pension, you don’t have to be in full-time work to continue making payments into it However,if your personal pension scheme allows it you might need to consider taking a break from payments. If you have one, contact your Independent Financial Advisor to discuss your options.
Antenatal care
During your pregnancy, you may need to attend scans and antenatal classes. You’re entitled to paid time off work for this, although some employers may ask to see a note from your midwife confirming your attendance. Antenatal care is not restricted to medical examinations provided that you have been advised to attend by a registered medical practitioner, registered midwife or registered health visitor.
Partners are usually welcome at these appointments but they do not automatically get time off from work to attend. Some employers are very supportive of this, so your partner should ask if they want to attend. It’s always best to check with the class before you bring your partner along, as some are for women only.
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John’s story*
"It’s not just mums who go to the antenatal stuff. I really wanted to be a part of my wife’s antenatal classes; after all, it’s an important step towards becoming a dad. When I asked my employer they unfortunately said I’d have to take it as holiday or unpaid leave. It was worth it though, it’s definitely helped us to feel we’re in this together. I’d recommend every dad goes along!"
*Fictional example |
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Further support from your employer
If your employer is very supportive, they might give you other benefits too. Arrange to sit down with them to see what else you could be entitled to.
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