Please advise: Financial Maternity Entitlements

L

lilwinner

Guest
Hi guys, I'd really appreciate if anyone has some sound correct advise on this matter......... I'm afraid I'm totally clueless in this area.
I've just descovered I'm nearly 3 months pregnant and only started in a new company as Property Consultant in January this year! As with most large companies - I am on probabtion for a period of 6months (this is up in June '07) after which I will be made permanant. I get on very well within the company and any meetings I have with the Directors - they have nothing negitive to say and tell me how pleased they are with my progress and work ethic. (therefor if I wasn't pregnant I would have absolutly no doubt in my mind that they would make me permanant in June).
I really enjoy the role and the company are fantastic to work for, (well so far so good!) however I am the 1st female associate EVER to be pregnant in the history of the company!!! AAAHHHHH! :eek: :eek:
As the department I work in is relatively small in comparisson to the Commercial / Admin / Marketing end of things we each have specialised roles & responsibilities within the department. So when I leave to have my baby I will HAVE to be replaced for that period and that person will have to be trained etc. etc. to be able to fill in for me.....
I'm completly stressed out about the whole situation and can't relax and enjoy my pregnancy.
Does anyone know what my rights or entitlements are? I know im not permanant now and if I could hide my bump until I'm 6months gone (which is totally out of the question) I know I would be made permanant and then have full maternity entitlements - but that's (a) very sly and (b) virtually impossible!
So what do I do? I'm now afraid when I tell them I'm pregnant they won't make me permanant and maybe make up another reason as to why they can't issue me with a permanant contract!
If they do keep me on what are my rights / entitlements?

PLEASE HELP!!!
 
Hi Lilwinner,
Just read your post and I am in a similar situ myself! Have tried asking Citizens Information about this - but to no avail! Did you get any joy on an answer from elsewhere??
Hope all well otherwise :)
 
Probationary Period for Employees in Ireland

The contract can include a probationary period and can allow for this period to be extended. If an employee is on probation, he or she cannot rely on unfair dismissals legislation unless he or she has more than one year's service or is dismissed for trade union membership or activity, pregnancy-related matters or claiming maternity rights. Rights such as information on matters like terms of employment, holidays and pay slips apply to an employee even while he or she is on probation....
Click to expand...

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=1140

I'd say they'd tread very carefully with you, unless they are complete....
 
I agree, even if you're not great at your job, these days they'd possibly be afraid to let you go in case you claimed discrimination.
As for rights/entitlements, you're entitled to the maternity benefit same as everyone else as long as you meet the criteria which if you were working for 39 weeks in the 12 months before your leave starts, you should qualify. The leave you're allowed is 26 weeks with paid social welfare benefit and up to 16 weeks unpaid. The SW will pay 80% (I think) of your weekly up to a max of €280 so even if you get €2000 now, you'll only get just over €1000 from sw.
See - http://www.citizensinformation.ie/c...ts-to-families-and-children/maternity_benefit
After that it's up to your employer, some pay top ups, some don't. It often depends on whether they're paying someone else to do your job or not and the size of the co, smaller ones are less likely to topup cos they can't afford 2 salaries for one job. My co pays butyou have to be perm for a year before you get that perk and you have to come back for a year or repay them the extra they gave you. So see if your co has a policy for this, or if they don't then you just have to hope that the one they make is in your favour. But they are not obliged to pay you a penny while you're off.
Hope it works out and congrats on the pregnancy
 
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