How Long Does It Take To Receive Benefits Related To Pregnancy?

Maternity Allowance is a legal entitlement for pregnant women, allowing them to receive up to 39 weeks of paid leave. The calculation period for statutory maternity pay (SMP) is eight weeks or two months before the end of the qualifying week and the qualifying week. If you are self-employed, you can usually get Maternity Allowance if you have been employed or self-employed for 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your due date.

Statutory maternity pay is paid for 39 weeks, with the first six weeks receiving 90 of your average weekly earnings. For those employed and pregnant, you are entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave, no matter how long you’ve worked for your employer. Payments can start any time between the 11th week before your baby is due and the day after the baby is born. The average time for deciding a claim is 35 working days. If you are eligible, you will receive a form confirming your entitlement and asking you to confirm it.

Maternity Benefit is paid for 26 weeks (156 days), with Sunday not counted. If you take the full 52 weeks of maternity leave, the last 13 weeks are unpaid unless your contract offers enhanced maternity pay. Statutory maternity pay can last 39 weeks, but it will end sooner if you go back to work before then. Maternity allowance is paid as a daily allowance, amounting to 80 of your average earnings prior to the birth, subject to a maximum of 220 francs per day. Payments can start up to 11 weeks before the baby is due, and you can choose when your leave and pay should start.

You are paid monthly on the 25th of each month, and your SMP will be based on your gross earnings in the two months prior to 21 September 2024.

How long does it take to get Maternity Allowance?

Maternity Allowance may be applied for after the 26th week of pregnancy, with payments commencing from the 11th week prior to the expected date of delivery. To receive the full amount, the claim must be submitted within three months of the commencement date. A Maternity Allowance (MA1) claim form is required for submission. This form can be printed, completed online, or ordered in printable format.

How soon can I get maternity pay again?

In order to reclaim statutory maternity pay, one must meet the normal conditions, which include having worked for one’s employer for a minimum of 26 weeks up to the 15th week before the expected date of childbirth, having earned a minimum of £123 per week before taxes, and having an average wage that is likely based on the maternity pay rather than the full wage.

Does Maternity Allowance get backdated?

The earliest time to claim Maternity Allowance (MA) is the 15th week before your baby’s due date, around week 26 of pregnancy. Payments can start up to 11 weeks before the baby’s due date, and you can choose when leave and pay should start. Backdating your claim for up to 3 months is possible under certain conditions, but late claims risk losing out. If you own a limited company and pay yourself through PAYE, you should qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) as an employee. If you don’t qualify, you can apply for MA as an employed person.

How long does it take to get maternity reimbursement?

The legislation requires that employers provide maternity benefits within 30 days of the filing of the leave request. In order to enroll GCash as a disbursement account, self-employed, voluntary, OFW, or non-working spouse SSS members are required to adhere to a series of prescribed steps prior to the submission of their SSS Maternity Benefit claim.

How long does it take to pay back maternity pay?

Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance is not refunded and should continue to be received by the employer/JobCentre Plus for the full 39 weeks, even if the mother resigns before the end of the maternity pay period. Shared parental leave allows the mother to transfer untaken maternity leave and pay to her partner, who can take the leave separately or together. However, once the mother returns to work or gives notice to curtail her leave, it cannot be revoked, except in limited circumstances.

Is Maternity Allowance paid in arrears?

Maternity Allowance (MA) is a social security benefit that can be received in the period preceding the birth of one’s child. It is paid every two weeks or four weeks in arrears, depending on whether the recipient is employed, self-employed, or has recently been employed or self-employed.

How to check maternity benefits status online?

The status of the claim may be ascertained by accessing the SSS website at www. sss. gov. ph or by contacting the Call Center at 920-6446 to 55.

Can you go on the sick straight after maternity leave?

If you are going to return to work after 52 weeks of maternity leave, you do not need to give any notice of return. You can go back to work on the day you are due back and are entitled to your normal pay. You can take annual leave or sick leave if needed. If you want to return before the end of your maternity leave, you must give your employer at least 8 weeks’ notice of the date you will be returning. If you do not give this notice and just turn up at work before the end of your maternity leave, your employer can send you away for up to 8 weeks or until the end of your leave, whichever is earlier.

If your employer did not write back to you within 28 days of the date you gave notice to take your maternity leave stating the date that your 52 week maternity leave will end, they cannot insist on you giving 8 weeks’ notice to return to work early. You should still give as much notice as possible to help you and your employer plan your return to work.

If you decide not to return to work, you can get SMP and MA for 39 weeks even if you do not plan to go back to work or if your employment ends during the SMP/MA period, such as if you are made redundancy. You do not have to pay SMP or MA back if you decide not to return to work. If your employer has given you extra contractual maternity pay, you only have to repay it if that was agreed in advance or specifically stated in your maternity policy.

If you do not want to return to work and need to repay your occupational maternity pay, you can ask to repay any company maternity pay in reasonable instalments, taking account of your household income and outgoings. You may find it helpful to speak to a debt adviser who can help you negotiate with your employer and agree a reasonable repayment plan.

If you are unable to return to work after your maternity leave, you can take sick leave as usual. However, once you are well enough to return to work, you cannot stay off work after your maternity leave has ended, as you will lose your right to return to work if you do not go back at the end of your 52 weeks’ leave.

Ask your employer if you can take annual leave immediately after your maternity leave, which is entitled to at least 28 days paid annual leave. Your normal holiday entitlement continues to accrue during maternity leave, so you may have some holiday owing to you. Annual leave should be agreed with your employer in the normal way and you should not be treated less favorably because you have been away on annual leave.

If you returned to work early and have not used up all your maternity leave/pay but now wish to take some more leave, you could give notice to take shared parental leave. Shared parental leave can be taken by either parent but must be taken within the first year after your baby’s birth. You may be eligible for Universal Credit if you take a period of unpaid leave, depending on your household income, housing costs, and number of dependants.

You are also entitled to urgent unpaid leave to care for a dependant in an emergency. The leave can be used if a dependant falls ill, gives birth, is injured, or there is a sudden problem with arrangements for the dependant (e. g., if your childminder falls ill). You are only entitled to take the time off necessary to deal with the emergency and to make arrangements for the care of the dependant.

If you have been on maternity leave and sick leave for a long time, you may have accrued a large amount of leave. You can take annual leave during sick leave, so you could ask to receive some paid holiday during your sick leave. You are entitled to carry forward 20 days annual leave if you cannot take it because of sick leave.

You cannot take annual leave during maternity leave, but you can end your maternity leave early, giving at least 8 weeks’ notice to end your maternity leave early and agreeing your annual leave with your employer in the usual way. It is a good idea to talk to your employer early in your pregnancy to agree when you will be taking your annual leave so that you can both plan in advance.

The government advises that employers should allow up to 28 days of statutory leave for employees who cannot take all their annual leave in the leave year due to absence on maternity leave, shared parental leave, or other types of parental leave. If your employer offers more than the statutory minimum of 28 days annual leave, it is up to your employer how much of your contractual annual leave (over and above the statutory 28 days) you can carry forward.

If you are not well enough to return to work at the end of maternity leave, you are entitled to receive sick pay if you are not well enough to return to work. You should follow your employer’s normal sickness reporting procedures at the end of maternity leave. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid after four consecutive days of sickness absence to employees who have earnings of at least £123 per week (April 2024 – April 2025) in the previous 8 weeks.

You are not entitled to SSP for any period of sickness that began during the 39 week SMP period (or 18 weeks if you were not entitled to SMP). If your period of sickness begins after the end of the 39 or 18 week SMP period, you may qualify for SSP if your earnings were high enough. If you claim SSP after the end of your 39 week Statutory Maternity Pay period, SMP counts as earnings. Maternity Allowance does not count as earnings.

If you do not qualify for SSP, your employer should give you form SSP1. If you do not qualify for SSP, you should get advice from your local Jobcentre Plus or Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

Once your maternity leave has ended, you are treated as if you are “back at work”, even if you are not well enough to actually go into work. You are entitled to take sick leave and should be treated in the same way as any other employee who is off sick.

You are protected against pregnancy/maternity discrimination throughout pregnancy until the end of your maternity leave period (up to 52 weeks or until you return to work, if earlier). For pregnancy/maternity discrimination, you need to show that you were treated unfavorably because of your pregnancy, pregnancy-related illness, or absence on maternity leave. You can also claim pregnancy/maternity discrimination where a decision was taken during your protected period even where it was implemented after the end of your maternity leave.

What is the test period for Maternity Allowance?

Maternity Allowance claims are based on work completed during the Test Period, which lasts from 66 weeks before the expected date of delivery to the week of the baby’s actual delivery. Any feedback provided will be taken into consideration for potential improvements to the website; however, personal or financial information should not be disclosed. Should any issues be encountered with the nidirect website, we kindly request that further details be provided.

When can I start my maternity leave?

Maternity leave and pay may commence up to 11 weeks prior to the expected date of childbirth or on the date of birth. It is the responsibility of the employer to inform the employee of their rights no later than 15 weeks prior to the expected date of childbirth. In the event that the aforementioned leave has not yet commenced, it is recommended that a minimum of two weeks be taken, or that the leave be taken in one continuous period. Maternity leave is obligatory for factory workers.