Advice about maternity pay

[Grotty]

Can I ask quick advice about Maternity Pay. To confuse my situation I changed jobs in February so my previous employer pays my SMP (90% for 6 weeks then the standard rate for 33 weeks) and my current employer pays my OMP (full pay for 2 months then half pay for 6 months).

Question is:

Am I really eligible for both at the same time??? That means that for the first 6 weeks I am almost on double pay. Surely that's wrong. I rang payroll and they said it is definitely correct but I can't believe this is true. Obviously it would be great if it is but I'm worried about accepting it then getting a bill at a later stage when they decide it was an error. If it is wrong who should be paying me less??? Thank you!!!

[IlonaM]

Have a look at the Maternity Action website and contact the advice line if you would like to speak to someone: https://www.maternityaction.org.uk/advice-2/

[LouLouMoving]

DEPT. Of Work and Pensions might be able to offer some advice. I would suspect (after doing lots of research on my own situation on STAT and MA) that you'll be on you current company policy for 32 wks before going down to STAT until week 39.

Good luck!

[etta166]

You appear to be very lucky that your current employer is offering you occupational maternity pay given that you were (I assume) pregnant when you started working there. Most people would get maternity allowance only in that situation. Also, I'm assuming that you left your previous employer before giving birth, in which case I don't think that they have to pay you SMP (unless your contract stated otherwise). Their responsibilities ended when your contract terminated.

I could give a more detailed and accurate answer if you added your due date/date you gave birth and the dates of your two employments.

[Grotty]

Thanks Etta - It's slightly complicated in that I work for the NHS. OMP is based on continuous service in NHS whereas SMP is based on the actual hospital trust you work for. As a junior doctor I move hospitals every 6-12 months so never somewhere for more than a year. My due date Was 11/05/17. I stopped working for trust A on 2/2/17 AFTER my "qualifying week". I had worked there for 51 weeks . I then started in a new trust. The new trust has to pay my ONP as I have been working for the NHS. For 9 years. But I was not eligible for SMP. I then applied to Dept for work and Pensions for maternity allowance but they said I wasn't eligible for that as I had worked at Trust A for over 26 weeks and was there during mumy "qualifying" week. I then contacted trust A who said I was eligible for SMP from them and they are sending me a back payment to cover the 2 months pay I missed which includes the 6 weeks at 90%. Sobhabjng already received my 2 months full pay in OMP I am getting almost double. Payroll said that's fine and weren't interested when I queried this. Still nervous I am going to get a big bill months down the line....