Sharing Parental Experiences

There was a time when a woman who was in a relationship could concentrate completely on the task of running a home and raising children, full-time jobs in themselves. Society and sometimes pure economics today play into this mix and dictate that most pregnant mums have to work. While most of the attention, quite rightly so, is on the pending arrival, you also need to be aware of your rights.

1. You are entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave at a maximum. This entitlement is paid to you, regardless of whether you work on a full or a part-time basis, or how long you’ve worked for a particular employer.

2. This maternity leave will be subdivided into two categories and will affect the amount of money that you receive from your employer accordingly.

3. The standard maternity leave ordinarily lasts for 26 weeks. During this time you will be entitled to all your contractual rights, including your ability to earn paid holidays and perks such as a company vehicle. In other words, you are treated exactly as if you are still working, except for the payment you receive.

4. After the first 26, the following 13 weeks are known as “additional maternity leave,” but your contractual rights only apply in certain areas. Your notice period remains the same, your availability of redundancy pay is unchanged and your typical disciplinary and grievance procedures still apply.

5. Your statutory rights remain in place throughout the whole of your maternity leave, which could include an additional 13 weeks of unpaid leave. You may not be discriminated against and must not be passed over in favour of another employee in the event of redundancy.

6. You will qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) if you have 26 weeks of continuous service at the end of the 15th week before the baby is expected. This allowance is calculated and determined by reference to a period of eight weeks, up to and including the 15th week before baby comes along. You must have earned at least £87 per week before tax during this period. If you do not so qualify, you may be entitled to receive Maternity Allowance.

7. The earliest you are able to start your maternity leave is 11 weeks before your baby is due, but it is up to you to decide and you can work right up until the birth. Both the period of your leave and your payment will commence on the day that you actually begin your maternity leave time.

8. You are not legally obliged to tell your employer that you are pregnant until 15 weeks before the baby is expected.

9. As a pregnant mother, you are entitled to free National Health Service, dental treatment and prescriptions as well.

10. Bear in mind that it could be very much in your best interests to let your employer know that you are pregnant as early as possible, as you may then be entitled to reasonable amounts of time, with pay, for visits to the doctor. In addition, you may not be expected to perform certain tasks including lifting or the handling of certain substances, to protect the unborn child.

There are so many things to think about when preparing to live life as an expectant mother, and you should certainly consider professional coaching to help you prepare. Many others take advantage of coaching for women during these times and online life coaching can be advantageous during every single phase of your life.

It’s important to note that this article is only intended as a general guide for women who are getting ready for maternity leave in the UK. You should check your rights as maternity legislation changes frequently. With the available information at the time, the author has written this article accordingly. We do not intend that this article should replace the current information that you may reveal through your own research process.

Amanda Alexander is the Director of Coaching Mums and a widely renowned ICF-accredited coach who delivers professional coaching programmes to working mums across the globe who long for more time, balance and fulfilment in their busy lives. Download our free eBook especially for working mums with 5 easy ways to achieve balance.