Maternity Benefit questions

Hi all Just trying to get maternity rights straight in my head. If I decided not to go back to work after maternity leave how does this work? Would I have to go back and "work" out my notice? More importantly, how does this affect maternity benefit payments? I don't actually know if my company will pay any maternity benefit, as we are very small and only a few years old, and I'd be the first employee to have a child. But if they did I assume I'd have to pay it back if I decided not to come back to work? Would I still be eligible for government maternity pay (paltry as it is, every little would help if we were down one wage! ). I'm a bit clueless in this area, but wanted to get it sorted in my head now, as we think about our future and our options. Thanks a million HG

HG Regardless of whether you go back to work or not you are entitled to the state maternity pay or 75% of your wages, whichever is the most - (think the state maternity is €238 or thereabouts), if decide at the end not to return you will owe nobody nothing. If you leave of your own choice you will get no benifits after your maternity benifit runs out but if you are let go or sacked you are entitled to unemployment benifit for approx 15 mths (I think that is the lenght of time) - but you do need to tell them that you are actively seeking work.

hi Girls I'm totally clueless as well but have been wondering about this. My job doesn't pay maternity leave so I will be relying on the state paid maternity benefit. We are also thinking of transferring my tax free allowance to hubby and was wondering does this intefer with the amount you get from the state maternity benefit? Its all so confusing!!! Tks R

Raomi - you can transfer most of your tax credits to your husband (they'll still give you a personal tax credit of 1270 per year - dont ask me why!). It wont affect your mat benefit payments - the max is around 250 at the moment.

Thanks a mil deskinor! That's brilliant to know. I was thinking if I'm paying higher rate tax but just coming out with less I would still be entitled to state maternity pay and the amount shouldn't change just cause hubby has tax credits. Don't know what to do! He's the higher earner and am not sure if I'll give up work for a couple of years after the bubs is born. Thanks again

Thanks a million for that osca. Good to know that the state wouldn't expect money back if I didn't go back to work. Any idea what typical company policy would be on this? I assume it would be up to the company but any chance they'd let me keep whatever money they'd given me? I guess that would be expecting too much Anyone else had experience of this? thanks! HG

Hi HappyGirl I don't know what the standard policy is but in the firms I worked in previously had a condition that if they paid you during your maternity leave that you were obliged to stay with the firm for up to 1 year from your return date back to work or repay the firm 50% of the wages they had paid you!! R :-)

[quote:3fi4aapg]HG Regardless of whether you go back to work or not you are entitled to the state maternity pay or 75% of your wages, whichever is the most - (think the state maternity is €238 or thereabouts), if decide at the end not to return you will owe nobody nothing. If you leave of your own choice you will get no benifits after your maternity benifit runs out but if you are let go or sacked you are entitled to unemployment benifit for approx 15 mths (I think that is the lenght of time) - but you do need to tell them that you are actively seeking work.[/quote:3fi4aapg] This is not quite true, you are NOT entitled to state maternity pay OR 75% of your wages, you are only entitled to state maternity pay up to 75% of your wages in the preceeding year, up to a maximum of €249 per week. Individual companies have different policies on wether to "top you up" or not, luckily mine did and therefor received full pay (part from state and rest from company) for the entire time I was off. I didn't go back and don't owe the company a penny as it was at their discretion to pay me as they didn't want to lose me. You can transfer all your tax credits to your husband except your PAYE credit and you can also claim an additional credit of €770 annually called a home carers credit, where you stay at home to care for your child. HTH!