When do i tell my boss i wont be back after i have my baby

flipper36

Hi all, i need a bit of advice. I have told my boss my news that i am expecting at the end of october, They do not give maternity leave payment and i dont intend to return to work after i leave possibly a month before baby is due all going well. I am unsure when to tell them. Do i just give the general two weeks notice or more? i shall be leaving the county to move elsewhere and be a full time mother and a house is being in the process of being purchased so im unsure what to do

I have worked for them for 12 years and want to be fair to them also. what do you suggest? im sure the word is going to get round about move and dont want to offend them either!!

Remouad

I know someone who went on maternity leave never intending to return to her job. She decided that she would tell them at the end of maternity leave.

In the mean time her employer made her redundant and she got her redundancy payment plus a months pay as notice.

Don't be in a rush to tell them that you won't be going back. Won't cost them any extra and you could lose out on 12 years of redundancy

flipper36

I thought of that too and we are on a three day week at the moment with very low staff, such a dilemma!!! I really feel that redundancy wont be offered but you never know, thanks for the quick reply Remouad!!

dublinlady

I for some reason have in my head, and have no idea if its true... That you have to go back for even a day to get some form of benefit.. Doesn't make sense tho a you will receive your maternity throughout... Oh I don't know I just thought there was some reason not to say! Other ppl will know more than me.....lol...wouldn't be hard! I just wouldn't be quick to do it!

LegacyUser

Whatever your plans are (going back straight away, taking unpaid leave or not going back) you only have to inform your employers of your intentions at the very latest 4 weeks before the end of your 26 weeks of maternity leave. Of course you can tell them sooner when you know yourself for definite but there's no mad rush.

dublinlady wrote: »

I for some reason have in my head, and have no idea if its true... That you have to go back for even a day to get some form of benefit.. Doesn't make sense tho a you will receive your maternity throughout... Oh I don't know I just thought there was some reason not to say! Other ppl will know more than me.....lol...wouldn't be hard! I just wouldn't be quick to do it!

If your employers pays you then some require that you return to work for at least six months after maternity leave, maybe that's what you're thinking of?
Not the case here so all ok!

nicowa

If you're planning on leaving anyway, would you not ask for voluntary redundancy?

highly1111

Don't tell them until a month before you're due back after maternity leave. It makes no sense to tell them earlier and it's a long time for circumstances to change. It's not going to make any odds to them anyway.

Hello Lady!

Hi Folks,

just recently started lurking in this forum as I am now 5 weeks gone.

dublinlady wrote: »

I for some reason have in my head, and have no idea if its true... That you have to go back for even a day to get some form of benefit.. Doesn't make sense tho a you will receive your maternity throughout... Oh I don't know I just thought there was some reason not to say! Other ppl will know more than me.....lol...wouldn't be hard! I just wouldn't be quick to do it!

this isn't true - you don't have to return to work at the end of your maternity, but you do have to give whatever notice period is stipluated in your contract. If no minimum is listed then it's 4 weeks notice of your intention not to return. Likewise even if you do plan on returning, you still need to give 4 weeks written notice of your intention to return to work.

Also, you can only get your maternity benefit if you are on maternity leave from work, so if you leave before the baby is born then you no longer have a right to the benefit. I notice you also say you are moving to another country - bear in mind you cannot claim maternity benefit any period you spend outside the EU, so if you are moving outside of the EU then you won't get the benefit anyway.

MurdyWurdy

Hello Lady! wrote: »

Also, you can only get your maternity benefit if you are on maternity leave from work, so if you leave before the baby is born then you no longer have a right to the benefit. .

This is not true. You can get the maternity benefit if you finished up in work. I was on a contract which was due to end the same date I would have taken maternity leave, meaning that I would be unemployed from that date. The office in Letterkenny told me I would still be entitled to maternity benefit if I qualified (i.e. had the stamps paid from 2 years ago or had worked for 39 weeks prior to my due date). They said I would need to provide them with a P45 with my application instead of a letter/form from work.

Sadly, I had to finish up the contract early as I was just too sick with the pregnancy to continue. This meant I hadn't worked 39 weeks in the year prior to my due date and I was living abroad for a few years previously so was not entitled.

Hello Lady!

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

This is not true. You can get the maternity benefit if you finished up in work. I was on a contract which was due to end the same date I would have taken maternity leave, meaning that I would be unemployed from that date. The office in Letterkenny told me I would still be entitled to maternity benefit if I qualified (i.e. had the stamps paid from 2 years ago or had worked for 39 weeks prior to my due date). They said I would need to provide them with a P45 with my application instead of a letter/form from work.

Sadly, I had to finish up the contract early as I was just too sick with the pregnancy to continue. This meant I hadn't worked 39 weeks in the year prior to my due date and I was living abroad for a few years previously so was not entitled.

You are correct to an extent, but there is more to it than that. Technically maternity benefit is payable to women who are employed and out of work due to pregnancy. If you don't work, you are not supposed to get it. If for example you were on the dole and then had a baby, you are not supposed to get it. However, if you leave employment within 16 weeks of the week your baby is due, then you can still qualify for maternity.

welfare.ie wrote:

However, if your contract of employment ends within 16 weeks of the end of the week in which your baby is due and you satisfy the social insurance (PRSI) conditions, Maternity Benefit is payable from the day after the date on your P45.

So yes, you are correct that you can claim even if you leave employment, but only if you leave employment in that specified 16 week period.

MurdyWurdy

Hello Lady! wrote: »

So yes, you are correct that you can claim even if you leave employment, but only if you leave employment in that specified 16 week period.

Which the OP would be doing, wanting to finish up a month before her due date. I felt it was important to point out, if we are looking at loss of maternity benefit as a con of handing your notice in before going on maternity leave. You don't necessarily lose your entitlement as you said in your original post.