HR offered to pay me off!

I don’t have any advice but I will say I’m in a similar situation where my work has found a silly reason to fire me after 3 years of employment. I was 24 weeks at the time of my dismissal so I missed the cut off for stat mat pay so I’m only entitled to maternity allowance now and I’m so scared

@Shania I’m so sorry, that’s awful. My heart goes out to you.

@Shania I’d honestly challenge this as unfair dismissal if you don’t feel you did anything wrong.

What were you challenging about the maternity pay?

I’ve been asking for the business to review the maternity pay since I let them know I was pregnant. They are a huge multi million business playing players millions of pounds but the maternity policy is statutory only. Nothing enhanced. They have admitted I’ve done bring wrong, the chief executive and my line manager have both started they want me to stay….but the chief operating officer and head of people want me out.

Yeh unfortunately majority of businesses are greedy and won’t pay anymore than SMP because they don’t like the thought of paying someone who isn’t actually at work. Saying that just because you’ve asked doesn’t mean they should try get rid of you 😖

@Siobhan actually I’ve done a lot of research and 75% of private businesses do give enhanced maternity pay. All I’ve done is asked they give what they said they would a year a go but it wasn’t signed off and no one had realised they hadn’t signed it off - even the chief executive. I’m a senior manager so the stat waiting maternity leave is 10% less than what I earn in a month before tax. Hardly fair. And doesn’t say much for what they think of women. I wasn’t provided any of the policies with my contract etc so it’s all been very underhand. If you don’t advocate for yourself who will. I’ve done nothing wrong by asking for them to review it.

Ah fair enough I’ve never really heard of anyone getting anymore than SMP except those that work for the NHS. I’m kinda glad I only got SMP with my first as I ended up getting pregnant again during maternity leave so the thought of going back or having to pay it back wasn’t really an option for me 😅 but definitely you do you. I guess if there’s nothing in the contract it’s hard both ways 🫣

@Siobhan it would be down to her to prove that it was unfair , very hard to prove unfortunately

Depending on how much it was I would take it. Becuase you could be out of a job, plus at least after mat leave you wouldn’t have to return and you would have to pay anything back. A lot of people want more money on mat leave but fail to remember they have to pay it back if they don’t go back to work. Everyone’s contracts are different. I also look at it as an employer myself, what does that individual bring to the company, do they make money for the business or just cost money are they an asset I don’t want to loose. Always make yourself irreplaceable. Players make the money so they get what ever they want, it’s not a woman thing it’s a business thing. One of my staff needed an operation and we don’t pay sick pay, however due to the nature of the operation I doubled her statutory pay. But I also wouldn’t review our maternity pay.

Sorry if my comment is just adding fuel to the fire, but I too challenged my previous employer's maternity pay policy, since it's a reputable company paying partners very high salaries. Unfortunately, I then had my promotion literally withdrawn - this is such nightmarish stuff that you don't think "decent" or "well-known" organisations do... And yet... Sorry to hear you're in a bad one and you could consider drawing a line under it and moving elsewhere after mat leave. That's what I did. 😊 xx

@Charlotte I doubt it would be more than 2-3 months pay as a severance package. They can’t make the role redundant as it a legal role that all stadiums in the top 4 tiers of football must have in place. Again I reiterate I’ve done nothing wrong, to the contrary where I’ve been recognised within the industry for the role I perform and my leadership within the club. I am 31 weeks pregnant, not the time to find another role, first time mum in Jan, so not the time to look for a job then either. I’m not inclined to attempt to encourage the club to do what they should - what they said they would do a year ago and didn’t- rather than leave myself without a job at all at this stage of a high risk pregnancy. I may decide not to go back but that will be my choice at my time and not feeling pressured to do so or in a discriminatory way. The club has tried without success to find a replacement for me for my maternity leave, it’s a very niche area. It is a woman thing.

@Claudia I’m going to consider my options after baby arrives and I’m more settled. I’ll see what they can offer me on return to work, I doubt they will be flexible at all. However it is a very niche job, few opportunities in the location where we live and I moved for this role. It’s well paid because it’s high profile, huge responsibility and I’m good at what I do. I don’t want to be forced out. I’m sorry for what you have been through x

@Charlotte I’ve been quoted £20-30k to take a pregnancy discrimination case

Would pregnant then screwed org be able to offer advise?

@Amelia tried them and the previously when I told my employer about my pregnancy and I was advised that the club would be happy for me to leave. Told to seek legal advice who advised me £20~£30k for a change pregnancy discrimination case

I would seek advice through a website called ACAS. They can talk you through if what they are doing is legal and how to support from an employment law perspective. There was a law passed in May giving pregnant women up until 18 months post birth enhanced employment rights. So I would just check. My advice working in HR is to document any evidence, when you are communicating do this in writing so you have physical evidence of all communication and if you do have a verbal conversation with anyone follow up after in writing confirming your understanding of the conversation. Screenshot any text or WhatsApp messages also Unsure how they have approached you about a “pay off”, it should have been a without prejudice conversation of which they should provide support for legal fees as you would need a solicitor to review this document. Check in with ACAS or if you have anyone in your wider circle who is a lawyer and seek some guidance. Hope you get it sorted x

Take the money and get a new job love . There’s football clubs everywhere

@Jay the money would only be 2 months wages, that won’t see me through maternity leave!! Do you think I’ll be up to finding a job at 8/9 months pregnant or with a newborn? Whereas with leave and 6 weeks pay I’ll at least have some income until start of March. Actually I can only get a job like I have in a PL club also. But thanks for your comment

@Holly thank you. Yes spoken with ACAS - they advised me to get legal advice. Which I have twice, they want me to take a formal grievance as their behaviour - I haven’t gone into it all- amounts to pregnancy discrimination. There was no worth out prejudice conversation - the solicitor clocked that too.

If you can I would seek legal advice on your next steps if you can because from what you’ve said it doesn’t seem they are following proper legal process. Not what you need at this stage of pregnancy x

@Holly I have thanks, I’ve had legal advice twice on various matters since I informed my employers of my pregnancy. They haven’t followed legal processes. Unfortunately it will take a lot of effort and expense to further the legal aspect.