Not entirelt sure but when I had keira I was paid 14 weeks maternity leave.

My position was kept open for me for a year and in that time I still clocked up holiday pay ect but didnt get paid. At the end of the 52 weeks I decided not to return so they paid out my owing holiday pay which was a nuce litte amount to keep me going a while.

Kelly, don't worry about explaining the transferring entitlement part as you're planning on staying at home (that only counts if you intend to go back to work and DF stay at home). 

You get 14 weeks paid parental leave and 38 weeks unpaid leave (totalling 52 weeks). 

If you have annual leave owing it's a good idea to take this first and then your PPL starts when your annual leave runs out (eg.  I intend to finish work on 29th May and will be on annual leave until 19th June, my PPL starts on 22nd June). 

Another important note is if you decide not to go back to work before the 14 weeks PPL is up your PPL entitlement ceases and you don't get anymore money, but if you notify work that you've decided not to come back after the 14 weeks has been paid that's fine.

ETA: If you're eligable you can start getting WFF from April 09 as it is based on yours and DFs income (including PPL) for the tax year, you will however need to send in a birth cert after #2 is born but then your WFF entitlement will increase (the first couple of months WFF will be based on your estimated income and 1 child while the rest of the years WFF payment will be based on 2 children and your estimated income).

caitlynsmygirl wrote: ah ok, well i have no annual leave owing to me (boo hiss ) so do I finish work 6 weeks before my due date ?

Finish up when you're ready to but I think the earliest you get PPL is 6 weeks prior to your EDD, you can go on unpaid maternity leave prior and then start getting PPL from May, or wait until closer to the birth.

caitlynsmygirl wrote: and in other words, don't tell work im not coming back till after the 14 weeks is up ?

I'm not trying to encourage you to be dishonest or anything but yep, that's exactly what I meant.

caitlynsmygirl wrote: oh just saw the new part of your post re WFF...when i work it out then , should i put the amount DF earns and the amount i get for 14 weeks ?

Yes, that's right and also include any pay you've received from your employer after 1st April 2009.

It also pays to over estimate your income for WFF.  I estimated ours accurately to the date Tom was born and we got WFF, then DH changed jobs and got a payrise.  I notified IRD and they reduced our amount.  Then I started working so I told them to stop our payments.  Anyway......at the end of financial year they total up how much we earnt, decided that it was over the threshold and we have to pay the whole lot back.  So while we were in need of it and entitled to it at the start, because we werent at the end, they decide we shouldnt have had anything..BASTARDS!!!!

As for the PPL, what the others say!  You can start PPL anytime from 6wks before to sometime before your 52 weeks ends and you return to work....so if you thought you could survive for a few months and then need the money you could do it that way....why would you want to?????  Get the money!!!!!

The amount has gone up. its $400 odd before tax as the max amount.  but if you earnt less than that per week (average it out over the last 6 or 12 months) then you get that lesser amount.  You also need to average 10hrs per week over the last 6 or 12 months. 

It is so confusing isnt it?  and you have to think it all out with preggy brain.  I am trying to organise it with self employed income and thats more confusing and always make me feel like I am being dishonest.

It's all in the way you time it.  If you aim to have a littlie born in April (or shortly after) you've earnt nothing! 

Michaela was born on 7th April (but I was on annual leave until June) so I'd only earnt a pittance.  With this one because I'm going on leave earlier I'll only be paid about a month more than I was with Michaela, so still a small pittance, granted I earn more now so that affects the allowance too.

ETA:  This post sounds really bad, as if I'm having kids for money  Please believe me, if I was interested in cash I'd not be having kids since my estimated WFF allowance amounts to just over 5% of my weekly pay (I pay tonnes more in tax each year than I'll be getting while on maternity leave)

What I did Kelly, was in my letter I gave to work (3 montsh before I went on leave) state that I will be leaving on "x" date and on PPL until "x" date. I wish to take extended unpaid leave till "x" date but would give 3 weeks notice of my intention of returning to work. About 6 months after I had Andrew I resigned. I knew I was going to resign but never told them that!!!