Maternity leave and working mums???
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Topic: Maternity leave and working mums???
Posted By: peanut butter
Subject: Maternity leave and working mums???
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 7:39am
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Hi there, I dont know if this is the right place so feel free to move it if needs be. I was wondering when do people generally start there maternity leave, and how long did they take before returning to work and did they return fulltime?
I am pregnant with No 1 and cant wait to stop working!!!! If I could I would never work again, of course that depends on winning big wednesday! But I have to give notice soon to my boss and I'm just not sure what I want to do.....would like some ideas from the more experiences mums out there. Thanks |
Replies:
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 8:21am
| What I've done is that I'm finishing up at the end of April which gives me about 6-7 weeks at home by myself before my "due date" and I've told work I'm taking the full 52 weeks leave, I have no intention of returning to that job but have told them I am so I can still get my paid maternity leave. Whether or not I go back to work after the year off will depend on how we are going financially. If we are fine I'm going to be staying at home for a while longer. |
Posted By: Mama2two
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 8:34am
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Hi nzpiper,
You can finish up whenever you want to really, it all depends on your money circumstances I guess. We couldn't afford for me to be off for months before the due date but I wish we could have! I am 35 weeks and still working but I am more than over it now, so if you can finish earlier I would definitley recommend it! As for letting your boss know, the earlier the better is probably the best advise I can offer. That will also help with sorting out your paid parental leave with IRD. I told my boss at around 20 weeks when I intended to leave and we sorted most things out then. But we agreed that we would firm up the actual finishing date closer to the actual time. And like kebakat said you are best to tell them you are taking the full 52 weeks whether you intend to go back earlier or not. If you only take 6 months and then want more it is really difficult to change it, but if you take the full 52 weeks you can go back anytime and only have to give 3-4 weeks notice to return. I have 1 more week of work to go after today - and I can't wait 
Hope that helped a little  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 8:34am
| Thanks Stacey and I love your tummy shot.....sooo cool |
Posted By: Sarah Beth
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 8:37am
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I worked up until 3 weeks before due date, and would not reccomond working longer than that. Think I was on automatic piolt for the last week, and my first week off I was exhausted.
You really can finish when you want, but as others said, make sure you apply for 52 weeks off, 3 weeks notice is all you need to give to return so you can go back early if need be. ------------- "> 
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Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 8:39am
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I put in to have paid leave 2 weeks prior but then after a few hosp stays asked and got 2 weeks paid leave that was owing to me so left work 4 weeks before due date.
I put in forms to them when i was about 20 weeks pg and asked for 6 months...got letter confirming job being open etc and put in paid parental leave which pays for 14 weeks....otherwise you apply for tax credit. Look at website to see which best suits you. Not too sure why you would give notice at this point as your job should remain open for you...and if you dont want to return then thats fine but may as well get paid first. |
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 8:43am
| In our contract at work it's pretty standard to give 3 months notice if you are going to take parental leave (I'm not sure if this was in our parental leave policy or the act for parental leave). It's the same with DH though, he's taking a month off paid for by the company he works for rather than IRD and even he had to give 3 months notice for that! |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 9:07am
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You need to give 3 months notice of the date you intend on finishing and going on PPL. To get PPL you have to have the intention of going back to your job (even if you already know you don't want to). I think there is a clause with the PPL that you can only start receiving it 6 weeks out from your due date. So if you want to finish earlier then you would have to take your entitled annual leave or unpaid leave. Give IRD a call to get the forms and have a read on their website. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 9:41am
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Yep, completely agree with what mummy becks said - except I thought it was 3 months til due date not date you intend leaving. Otherwise thats the way I read it all too.
I actually gave them about 4.5 months notice before my due date, to give them plently of time to look for a replacement (theres more jobs than food techs at present), and plenty of time to get my paid parental leave stuff to the IRD. I'm taking leave 3.5 weeks before due date - which now looks like a struggle but I know I'd be bored sitting around at home too long before bub is due. I'm taking 12 months, and like everyone said if I need to go back earlier I will be able to with 3 weeks notice. I'm hoping to go back only 4 days a week, yet to be negotiated .... but its really hard to say how I will feel in a years time - I may not want to go back or may miss work, and it will depend on our finances too. ------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs) |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 10:49am
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Opps I was watching Josh at the same time a writing the post. Yeah its 3 months till due date. I just got that when I was doing my leave. Had to run the letter up to my boss on my day off. With Andrew I finished up 4 weeks before my due date and with Josh it was 7 weeks with 2 weeks annual leave. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: sparkle
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 5:16pm
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I'll be finishing up 7 weeks before my Due Date. As I'm a teacher I thought it be best that I finish at the end of a term rather than in the middle of one. Seven weeks sounds so long to me, but I'm sure once I'm there it won't be! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 8:22pm
| 7 weeks sounds like heaven to me. I was thinking of working up till 2 weeks before but maybe I should change that to 4. I guess if I get too bored they may let me in for a day or 2. |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 24 March 2007 at 9:26am
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Be careful with still working. If you are on PPL and you work even for 1 hour the PPL is stopped and you may end up geting nothing. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 25 March 2007 at 9:20am
| ouch!! nasty!!!. |
Posted By: 3xMummy
Date Posted: 25 March 2007 at 9:25am
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I finished work at 38 weeks, I had a 'desk job' so I wasn't on my feet all day. Personally I really could've worked an extra week, I went 10 days overdue with DD & by the time she arrived I was soooooooooooooo sick of the phone calls asking if we'd had our baby yet! All I could do was sit & wait, I really feel I could've stayed for my own sanity! Now I have #2 on it's way (due in June) & we're self employed now so I guess I could be working right up til due date & probably while in Labour, LOL!!!!
With DD I went back to work when she was 10 months old. Good Luck with your bubba's everyone :-) ------------- Jess  http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: miss
Date Posted: 25 March 2007 at 3:08pm
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I am finishing with my class at the end of term too - like Sparkle you know it is better for the kids if they can start wth their new teacher fresh. I will only be 29 weeks, so I will return to work in term 2 and do reliving till I have enough (at the moment that seems like 2 weeks ago! But it should be ok, lol). I won't apply for the PPL until I totally complete work, I want to leave it as late as possible to make it stretch that little bt further! -------------  
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Posted By: Salifer
Date Posted: 26 March 2007 at 7:38pm
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Can anyone tell me.....I havn't been in my job for 12 months so when I leave they don't have to keep the position open for me (fine by me, I'm not worried at all!!!). Thing is when I leave, I obviously want to get the paid parental leave.............which I'm sure you are entitled to if you've been employed for more than 6 months continuous, for over 20 hours per week. I comply with the above but if my position is filled by someone else, do I still get paid parental leave???
Hope that makes sense. Mummy_becks you wrote "To get PPL you have to have the intention of going back to your job (even if you already know you don't want to)" I'd love to return to my position, but realise they don't have to keep it open for me.......so am I still entitled??? -------------    
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 26 March 2007 at 8:48pm
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You have to be working in the same job for 6 months or more, for at least 10 hours a week to be entitled to PPL. So for you, you have been there 6 months - you are entitled. You have worked more that 10 hours a week - you are entitled. If you are on a permament contract they have to leave the job open for you for 12 months of taking maternity leave. If they don't then they make the job redundent then they would have to pay you out a redundancy. If it is a fixed term contract then PPL would be paid out to the date of the contract ending. Have a look at the IRD website for PPL, they have the forms online so you can have a read of them there. Also Department of Labour have info about PPL. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Myamy
Date Posted: 26 March 2007 at 10:12pm
| lol just typed a big explanation, but mummy becks u did a much better job then me! |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 27 March 2007 at 9:55am
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I learnt so much about PPL when I first went on it as I was the first woman eligable for it at my work. So I answered all of the questions for the other girls as I had to do all the research for myself. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Bel
Date Posted: 27 March 2007 at 10:50am
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I am on a fixed term contract that will end 2 weeks before I am due, so this means I would only get about 2 weeks of PPL before I am not entitled any more. Can DH get the whole 14 weeks (he is self employed)? Am a bit confused about whether he can get it if I am not working? Have looked on IRD website and can't find the answer... ------------- Mum to two beautiful kids 
Luke (09.11.2007) Amy (01.04.2009) |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 27 March 2007 at 11:07am
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Bel go to the IRD website ( http://www.ird.govt.nz - www.ird.govt.nz ) and have a look at the forms section and download an IR880 - PPL for mother forms and IR889 - Transfer of PPL to self employed partner. These forms will have all the info that you need in the first few pages. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 01 April 2007 at 7:08pm
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You need to give three months notice in writing of your intention to take parental leave and provide a letter from your LMC stating your due dates. You can take up to 52 weeks off if you have been there for at least 12 months and worked an average of at least 10 hours per weeks. Of this 52 weeks you can transfer some of this to your partner, and can start this up to six weeks before the baby is due. If you wish to return earlier or take more time off this is by mutual agreement only.
You can apply to IRD for 14 weeks paid maternity leave. As long as you have worked at least 6 months and an average of 10 hours per week you can have the paid maternity leave. I believe you don't qualify for this if you are contracting and the contract ends before the baby is due or if you are a SAHM but there is a parental tax credit you can qualify for. Your employer must keep your job open and you must confirm 21 days prior to your return date that you will be returning to work. If your position is disestablished (made redundant) while you are on parental leave they must give you first option on a similar role that comes up in the next 12 months. |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 01 April 2007 at 8:10pm
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haha, ok ladies, here's a curly one for you...
At the moment, I am on a fixed term contract at the hospital, of 1 yr, for the new graduate programme, After which unless you have done something really stupidly horrible or you want to leave or you haven't met the standards you need to have met, it goes over to a normal contract in a permanent position. (we are short-staffed, and they have put so much effort into training me up to their levels.. don't think they would get rid of me anyway) but, I have some stupid fear that once they find out i am preggers they will debate as to whether they want to turn mine into that permanent position - even though i plan to be away for around 4 months at the most including about 4 weeks before baby (to be safe since the girls were 2 - 3 wks early) until baby is around 3.5 mths old. what happens if they decide not to renew it. I mean the only reason they would have is because i was going to go on maternity leave, so far i have met all standards and all that other guff - so just cos i was preg wouldn't be legal grounds to get rid of me would it? ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja 
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Posted By: miss
Date Posted: 01 April 2007 at 8:25pm
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Hopefully the type of work you are in is a bit more open to women and maternity leave, so it won't be a factor. Like you say they ahve put money into your training, you are wanting to go back, so they should be decent about it. i guess you can only hope for the best.
how long have you been there, and how long will you have been there when you want to go on leave? -------------
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 01 April 2007 at 8:35pm
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Janine I doubt they will not give you a permanent job as you have meet the standards and as you said horribly understaffed. If they didn't because of the fact that you are pregnant then the DOL would love to hear from you and you could then sue MidCentral (oh they would love that). ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |