maternity Benefit

[pamurph]

Hi THere

I am hoping someone can help and give me advice. Long story short, my wife is being forced to quit her job (not going in to the detail here, that's for a solicitor, if we go down that route) and we have just found out that she is pregnant.

We have discussed it and she is not going to try and find a new job until after she has given birth. However, I am concerned that she may not be entitled to any maternity benfit. According to their website, the year of assessment for PRSI contributions is the year before birth, so 2011, but I am just concerned that as she wont be making any contributions in 2012, she will lose her entitlement to maternity pay.

Any advice would be appreciated.
P

 

[onq]

I think you need to discuss these issues with a [broken link removed], because one way or another you will be making a claim against the employer and its best to prepare the ground properly.

It sounds like a constructive dismissal case and then the maternity benefit would tie into that and you should [broken link removed] in this regard.

 

[pamurph]

Thanks
I had never heard of a rights commissioner, but knew my wife's situation was constructive dismissal and that we have 6 months to act on it if we want.
However, with regards her maternity benefit, I assume it should all be OK as her 2011 contributions will be fully paid. I am just concerned that if she is no longer working (I am, but I doubt that matters) and therefore not contributing to PRSI whether she would be allowed the benefits.

 

[Nige]

You need to be leaving a job to go on maternity leave to qualify for maternity benefit. So, if she is not working at all in 2012 she won't qualify for maternity benefit.