Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Maternity benefit-working after 24 weeks

  • 30-04-2014 3:58pm
    #1
    Cameoette
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 271 ✭✭


    I'm currently 23 weeks pregnant and finishing my degree. I am on a zero-hour contract in my part-time job since 2011. However I have not worked any hours since July last year.

    I have enough PRSI from 2012 to ensure I qualify for maternity benefit, once I am in insurable employment up until 2 weeks before my due date in August. I am likely (but not guaranteed) to get hours in my job during the summer once I finish my final exams at the end of May, at which stage I will be 28 weeks pregnant. When I contacted the MB section they said to me that really, I would have to be working from my 24th week of pregnancy on (next week), rather than from the 28th week on, to ensure I would get MB. As I am not guaranteed hours by my employer, I was keen on finding out what exactly I'd have to work between now and August in order to receive maternity benefit, but they said there was 'no minimum' that I would have to work for and told me to 'work as much as I can' between now and my due date.

    This contrasts to what I've heard from others and on other forums. Some people were told they would specifically have to work for a given number of weeks before their due date e.g. sometimes even just a week, and then they could be sure of receiving payments. The MB section said that even if I work as much as I can from June there'd be no guarantee that I will get MB, despite already having enough contributions from 2012.

    Does anyone have any experience of this situation? Thanks in advance :)


Comments

  • #2
    mrsbyrne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,228 ✭✭✭mrsbyrne


    You must be in employment up to the day you go on maternity leave and the maternity leave cannot start any earlier then 16 weeks before the end of the week your baby is due. There's no discretion in this, these are the rules.
    The contributions from 2012 are just one requirement, the 16 weeks are another.


  • #3
    Cameoette
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 271 ✭✭Cameoette


    I'm aware of the rules. I am not looking for any discretion.

    What I am wondering is if anyone who has been in my position and resumed insurable employment after the 24 week period but within the 16 week period their baby is due, has still gone on to receive MB once they had enough PRSI paid in the relevant tax year.


Advertisement