Can you start FIS claim on maternity leave.

danois

Basically as the title says. Just wondering if you can start the claim for FIS when you've had your first baby and are on maternity leave, or do you have to wait until you return to work?

Thanks

mrsbyrne

Yes you can but if you take the additional unpaid maternity leave it will be cancelled

wmpdd3

Also your wages will be taken as an average of your salary on your P60 or the preceding 26 weeks before you went on maternity leave or an other way that they decide.

Nothing stopping you applying but if the figures they come back at don't seem a fair reflection of your wages, wait until you get back to work and apply again.

Calculation of average assessable earnings.

To determine average assessable earnings, it is normal practice to look at an applicant’s and their spouse / civil partner’s / cohabitant’s earnings over a long period of time. If you (both of you) have been working for over a year, we calculate the average earnings from the latest P60.

However, if you / your spouse / civil partner / cohabitant have only recently commenced/changed employment or had a change to the conditions of your employment (e.g. reduced hours) we would normally calculate the average assessable earnings on the earnings since the start of the employment / tax year / date conditions changed.

However, we reserve the right to calculate the average assessable earnings over a different period if we deem it more appropriate.

Under the Maternity Protection Act 1994, a woman who qualifies for Maternity Benefit is entitled to claim FIS. Employees who qualify for Health & Safety leave or Adoptive Benefit are also entitled to claim FIS.

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Family-Income-Supplement.aspx

danois

Thanks guys