Going off sick before maternity leave

I believe it’s up to company policy. My company said they usually add the pay for any remaining sick leave at the back of the maternity leave pay period, just as if it were incurred annual leave so that we get those days as extra maternity leave income

Don't know this answer but hope your okay and the illness isn't anything to worry about xx

Some employers will have a policy which says if you take sick leave from a certain point in pregnancy it will auto trigger your mat leave. I also wonder if they’re might be something general re statutory pay by govt even if your employer doesn’t have something? I’m not sure how the qualifying week works im afraid re pay if you take a sick day, best to review policy and be careful as easy to fall foul of those things…

Are you taking statutory / govt mat leave pay? If so check what their advice is. If it’s enhanced pay through your work then should all be spelled out in your work policy, provided it’s properly drafted

for my work that period is 4 weeks before the estimated week of birth so doesn’t affect me yet. I had a bit of a look at the gov guidelines and they’re not very clear. It just says I have to be on the payroll! I think I might just play it safe and try to go in to work for this last day! Don’t want to risk it

I was just about to comment the same as clementine. I think if you take sick leave 4 weeks or less before your due date they can start your maternity leave

Here is a link with some more info.

https://maternityaction.org.uk/advice/sickness-during-pregnancy-and-maternity-leave/

thank you! Honestly, it’s mostly stress related! I have GD and they’re worried about my blood pressure so the stress is really something I could do without.

Yeah best to play it safe if it’s only one extra day maybe? Good you know the period re it starting mat leave early. Always worth checking as some employers it’s much earlier than that the trigger point 😬

I’m currently 15 weeks before my estimated due date! I don’t mind starting leave 4 weeks before I’m due since it’s looking like I might have to be induced early anyway! Also with my condition, I imagine I will be in a fair bit of pain by then.

Thank you for the link though, there’s a lot of useful information in there

sorry I didn’t realise you had replied to Clementine before my previous comment. I’d say if you’re really struggling try reaching out to an organisation for tips. I know there’s one called “pregnant then screwed” on Instagram that you might want to reach out to x

no worries! Like I said, the link you sent through had some super useful information on there so I’m glad you commented! Also reaching out to an organisation might help. I am a member of our union so that’s always worth a shot too if everything goes tits up

good luck!

Where I work if you’re sick for a certain amount of time and it is related to pregnancy then mat leave automatically kicks in…but I think that is organisation dependent. Can you not ask HR or is there a maternity policy?

yeah my mat leave will kick in 4 weeks before my due date week, but I don’t mind that. I was going to give myself some time before my date anyway and it’s quite possible that I’ll be induced a bit early due to GD.

I’ve been on sick leave for months. My maternity leave starts 18th March but being on ssp has effected my maternity pay and I’m not not entitled to it anymore because I didn’t earn enough

what?! That’s AWFUL

oh that’s awful I’m sorry! Fortunately I managed to work through my qualifying period for mat leave. I forced an extra day out of myself today.

Yeah absolutely gutted! Had I’d known it would effect it I would have pushed threw the 8 week period for when they calculated it but I was told it shouldn’t effect it 😩 x

yeah I consider myself really really fortunate that I literally only had one day left of my 8 week qualifying period when I reached my breaking point. I hope you guys are going to survive