Maternity Benefit

emmabrighton

Hello knowledgable ladies, I have a quick question. I have been working on contract for my current employer for 2 years but my contract ends around the same time that I am due. On welfare.ie it states that

To qualify for Maternity Benefit as an employee you must:

be in insurable employment that is covered by the Maternity Protection Act, 1994 immediately before the first day of maternity leave. The last day of insurable employment must be within 16 weeks of the end of the week your baby is due. If you cease employment your maternity leave must start from the following day,
and
satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions.

I am not sure what the certain PRSI contribution conditions are, but I am sure I must have met them by now - I'm 32.

Do I go talk to HR at my office? Or do I apply directly to Social Welfare? I am petrified that I will be told that I am not eligable because I will be finishing up my contract at the same time as going on maternity benefit - complete coincidence. And I am just looking for some reassurance.

Has anyone been in a similar boat to me?

Moonbeam

You should be ok.
Give social welfare a call and give them your pps number and ask them do you qualify.
As far as I know the contract coming to an end will not effect you once you pay a stamp in the 16 weeks prior to going on leave and meet the other requirements.

annamcmahon

Ring the maternity benefit section of the Dept of Social Protection. They are really helpful. I've contacted them a few times over the last 2 years and have always given good information. I've found that I get general advice from replies on here, which is to be expected, but both times I've been pregnant I've needed information about more specific circumstances.

emmabrighton

Thanks a million,

I just needed a push in the right direction... Ill post back after I ring at lunch...

littlemissfixit

You probably have it sorted by now, but just in case:

I am in the same situation, in fact for the second time around, and you will definately be ok so long as you go on maternity leave (or contract ends) from 24 weeks on.
The first time around, I got made redundant while I was 20 wks, so uneligible. It was very hard to find work, as it became very hard to hide the fact I was pregnant, plus I wouldn't have been comfortable not being straight at interviews. But I was successful in finding contract work of just a couple of weeks and so that made me eligible to get maternity leave. In fact at citizens info, they told me that I only had to work for 1 stamp (or 1 week) after 24 weeks and I could have gone on mat leave then. Luckily I got to work until the very end anyway.
This time around, I started looking for work when my girl was 9 months, it took a bit of time but I got a contract job which was due for renewal at about the time I would take maternity leave, and not surprisingly the contract will not be renewed but I will still be able to get mat benefit but will have to wait for my P45 to apply.

You are most definately ok, citizens info is a great source of informations, but I also phoned maternity benefit section and they can check your situation with your pps no.

Best of luck!

closifer

littlemissfixit wrote: »

You probably have it sorted by now, but just in case:

I am in the same situation, in fact for the second time around, and you will definately be ok so long as you go on maternity leave (or contract ends) from 24 weeks on.
The first time around, I got made redundant while I was 20 wks, so uneligible. It was very hard to find work, as it became very hard to hide the fact I was pregnant, plus I wouldn't have been comfortable not being straight at interviews. But I was successful in finding contract work of just a couple of weeks and so that made me eligible to get maternity leave. In fact at citizens info, they told me that I only had to work for 1 stamp (or 1 week) after 24 weeks and I could have gone on mat leave then. Luckily I got to work until the very end anyway.
This time around, I started looking for work when my girl was 9 months, it took a bit of time but I got a contract job which was due for renewal at about the time I would take maternity leave, and not surprisingly the contract will not be renewed but I will still be able to get mat benefit but will have to wait for my P45 to apply.

You are most definately ok, citizens info is a great source of informations, but I also phoned maternity benefit section and they can check your situation with your pps no.

Best of luck!

Hey,

I was doing some research and came across this thread. I have e-mailed the mat benefit people but you may also know the answer.

Here is my situation. I handed in my notice at work and a week later found out I was pregnant....nightmare. Anyway, i'm due in early December and I have managed to extend my notice period so i will be working until the end of August (within 16 weeks of due date).

Will I still be eligible? I think I will going by what you guys were posting. Also, will i still need my employer to fill out section 4 which asks about leave dates etc when I wont be returning? Or will I need to wait to get my p45 to apply?

Any help would be really appreciated!