Maternity Leave Question- serious and sensitive question

Pinkycharm

Just sitting here with my best friend and she has just found out she is pregnant. I'm delighted for her but she's in bits. She's a teacher and is worried now financially and is considering her options. If she earns 1300 a fortnight, how much is that reduced to for maternity leave or what are her entitlements. This is a really sensitive subject, partner is currently unemployed but in college, they've a mortgage and a kid already. She has CID but I can't offer her any advice because I just don't know how maternity leave works in that I've never had to take it, I had a kid before I started teaching. She's obviously allowed me to post here because it's anonymous and it know she'll get an answer.

dingding

https://www.tui.ie/second-level-leave-provisions-/second-level-maternity-leave.2113.html

happywithlife

it'll completly depend on her elegibility but presumably as she's CID I assume her PRSI contributions will be in order. I only ever got partial mat leave once and both other times was reliant solely on state mat benefit .
If she hasn't already tell her get assessed for a medical card. You'd find out fairly quickly online if you qualify or not. Its the secondary benefits rather than the card itself is where you get most value - usc is capped; reduced childcare if she uses community creche etc.

Cash_Q

If she is entitled to full maternity payment then she will get 240euro per week from Social Welfare into her bank account, and 480euro will be deducted from her fortnightly salary. I have heard that sometimes a teachers PRSI contributions fall short and they're not entitled to the full 240euro Social Welfare for the 26weeks of maternity leave, and the Dept paid them their full salary so they weren't down any money.

Having CID I think she'd be entitled to full maternity leave and full payment, but the best person to ask would be her union rep. Another good source of info is the group Voice for Teachers on Facebook, who will post an anonymous question and followers often give helpful advice.

Pinkycharm

Thanks so much everyone this all helps so much. It's all very much appreciated.

Redser87

CID carries the same leave entitlements as full permanency at primary level anyway. If she is primary she should also check out the circular regarding panel rights, I'm not 100% sure how mat leave affects building up time for the main/supplementary panel but I know it's mentioned in the circular.

Pinkycharm

She's secondary and is an asti member if that helps. Has her CID 2 years. I'm just more afraid of her thinking she has to consider options because of financial reasons so just trying to work it out for her and what it will mean. Ye are so good with all the info.

TheDriver

Her mat leave shouldn't see any reduction in pay however its after mat leave is the financial pain.

lbc2019

She should talk to a councillor and consider all her options if now isn't a good time for her to have a baby

Pinkycharm

lbc2019 wrote: »

She should talk to a councillor and consider all her options if now isn't a good time for her to have a baby

I think aside from finances it's fear of telling a principal and the guilt of leaving senior classes. I've passed this onto her and to be honest I hope she does take that advice and sees a councillor.

Cash_Q

TheDriver wrote:

its after mat leave is the financial pain.

How do you mean? Cost of raising a baby? Or some other financial risk? Genuine query as I've 8 weeks of maternity leave left myself.

I've heard of people underpaying tax and being faced with a massive tax bill on their return to work, but I spoke to Revenue a few times and I hope all will have been paid correctly. OP do advise your friend to ensure she sorts this out with Revenue when her maternity leave starts, as many people don't realise they have to!

doc_17

Pinkycharm wrote: »

I think aside from finances it's fear of telling a principal and the guilt of leaving senior classes. I've passed this onto her and to be honest I hope she does take that advice and sees a councillor.

DO NOT WORRY! People are allowed to get pregnant. In fact it’s necessary for the survival of the species! The classes will survive, who cares about the principal if they want to be awkward about it. Time to look out for herself now.

smeal

Pinkycharm wrote: »

I think aside from finances it's fear of telling a principal and the guilt of leaving senior classes. I've passed this onto her and to be honest I hope she does take that advice and sees a councillor.

She isn’t the first teacher to get pregnant and she certainly won’t be the last. She is easily replaceable during her mat leave and there are hundreds of sub teachers out there chomping at the bit for work.

Fair dues to her though. She sounds like a very committed teacher who cares for her work. But its not selfish to go off and have a baby. Besf of luck to her.

2011abc

This makes a depressing read .Reading between the lines are we actually looking at a teacher who is questioning if they can AFFORD to have a child or even , Jesus Wept , if their ‘senior classes’ might take precedence ???!!! What’s wrong with us ???!!! The governments assault on maternity leave was only one of dozens to protect their wealthy patrons .

TheDriver

Cash_Q wrote: »

How do you mean? Cost of raising a baby? Or some other financial risk? Genuine query as I've 8 weeks of maternity leave left myself.

I've heard of people underpaying tax and being faced with a massive tax bill on their return to work, but I spoke to Revenue a few times and I hope all will have been paid correctly. OP do advise your friend to ensure she sorts this out with Revenue when her maternity leave starts, as many people don't realise they have to!

What I mean is the costs in general. Once mat leave is over, its childcare amongst other things once you're back at work.

I agree she shouldn't be concerned about senior classes etc but on the flip side of that is the problem that you will return after not too long away and might be picking up the pieces after a crap sub. Luckily for her, her mat leave wouldn't start until next school year so timetabling could take this into account to relieve that stress.

TheDriver

2011abc wrote: »

The governments assault on maternity leave was only one of dozens to protect their wealthy patrons .

It was sick leave benefit that was changed?

Cash_Q

Pinkycharm wrote:

I think aside from finances it's fear of telling a principal and the guilt of leaving senior classes. I've passed this onto her and to be honest I hope she does take that advice and sees a councillor.

Nobody is indispensable. Great that she's so conscientious about her senior classes but she'll get no thanks for putting them ahead of her baby. I love my job and I give it my all, but it's just a job at the end of the day, and it should never come in the way of personal happiness.

Millem

TheDriver wrote: »

It was sick leave benefit that was changed?

The maternity leave changed in 2013....you used to be able to add a number of bank holidays and school closures on.

Millem

Cash_Q wrote: »

How do you mean? Cost of raising a baby? Or some other financial risk? Genuine query as I've 8 weeks of maternity leave left myself.

I've heard of people underpaying tax and being faced with a massive tax bill on their return to work, but I spoke to Revenue a few times and I hope all will have been paid correctly. OP do advise your friend to ensure she sorts this out with Revenue when her maternity leave starts, as many people don't realise they have to!

Cash when you return the wonderful payroll will put you on a week 1. My first wages were down massively....I would say by €400-€450. After that it was about €50 every paycheque.

It was the last pay cheque for December the finally put me back onto cumulative.


This happened to all 4 o us (myself and my 3 colleagues also on maternity leave) laat year.

Waiting for my p60 to see what the story is

I have spent hours on the phone to revenue.

Cash_Q

Millem wrote:

Cash when you return the wonderful payroll will put you on a week 1. My first wages were down massively....I would say by €400-€450. After that it was about €50 every paycheque.

Thanks yes I'm expecting that and I'll be ready to ring Revenue to be put back on cumulative. I was on week 1 from Sept to Dec as Revenue advised this was the best thing to do, and then I was automatically put onto cumulative in January and again Revenue advised this was the best thing to do for the new tax year, but I'm not expecting anything to be plain sailing and am ready to take a hit financially.

Millem

Cash_Q wrote: »

Thanks yes I'm expecting that and I'll be ready to ring Revenue to be put back on cumulative. I was on week 1 from Sept to Dec as Revenue advised this was the best thing to do, and then I was automatically put onto cumulative in January and again Revenue advised this was the best thing to do for the new tax year, but I'm not expecting anything to be plain sailing and am ready to take a hit financially.

I was on only put on week 1 after my maternity leave finished (end of February 2018). They would not allow me to go cumulative they said “it was to prevent hardship” which was hilarious!!
I posted about it before.

2011abc

Revenue now clearly have as policy to allow backdated pay accumulate to tax it at higher rate .Must be making tens of millions out of this stunt. Probably wouldn’t even cover what a well known cafe chain owes us from its five or six branches in Blanchardstown shopping centre but hey what’s a few thousand PAYE mugs pushed to the brink ...

lbc2019

Tax is always due the year it is paid- nothing changed there