Baby on the way? Prepare for possible pay pain
Check whether you qualify for waivers on premiums or reduced premiums while you are on maternity leave
Taking time off after having a baby can place strain on your finances as you may be receiving a lower salary over the period, or worse, earning no income at all. In SA, mothers are entitled by law to up to four months’ maternity leave, but employers are not obliged to pay them their salary during maternity leave, only to keep their job for them. Some are generous and pay in full for three or four months, others pay nothing at all, while others remunerate something in between, such as 75% of your salary, Muhammed Goolab, executive committee member of the SA Reward Association, explains. Knowing this is the first step in your planning to spend valuable time with your baby rather than stressing about how to fill the possible income gaps to ensure you are still able to pay all your expenses, insurance policies and debt. Accessing UIF If your employer will not pay in full while you are on maternity leave and you have been contributing to the Unemployment Insurance Fund, you may also be e...
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