working while on maternity leave

[stillhoping]

Hi ,

Does anyone know if you can do casual work and get paid whilst on unpaid maternity leave?

thanks

[Karina]

I'm pretty sure you can.

[Renee Elizabeth]

Yes you can!

[MantaRay]

You can, but if it's in the same industry as your normal job it would be considered conflict of interest and your employer can terminate you if they find out (my good friend is a lawyer specialising in employment law). If it's not for a competitor or something like that then you would be fine.

[Rachel]

Yep - like melanie said.

[stillhoping]

Great, thanks for that. Would there be a difference if I was getting paid for 3-4 months of the leave?

[blizzy]

i'd say the only difference is you would pay the higher tax on the 2nd job..

[MamaPan]

ithink it depends on the job/employer.depending on your relationship w you work i would ask them their position as unpaid leave is at their discretion so they may be unhappy with this.

[ticklish]

At my work you couldn't. It was part of the agreement for taking leave that if you engaged in alternate employment whilst on unpaid leave and they found out you'd have to return to work immediately or resign.
You might have a valid argument if your work couldn't provide you with the flexibile hours etc you can get with casual work ATM but are able to return to your former employer when bubs is older.
I'd say you'd have to check and get their agreement first - don't assume you can because you might find yourself constructively dismissed.
Depends on your workplace.

[misty]

you need to check specifically with your work. if they wish to, they can make it a requirement of the maternity leave (as a general condition of employment) that you do not work any other job regardless of the industry you work in.

[Pandora]

At my work, we have to get written authorisation to engage in any outside employment, whether we are on leave (paid or unpaid) or not.
The only things unrestricted are those that count as a hobby for tax puproses (not a job) like tupperware etc.

[alikai]

What about freelancing for your employer while on maternity leave? Are there specific rules about this, or is it up to the company and yourself to reach an agreement? Do they have the right to say you have to forfeit your maternity leave before they'd outsource work to you on a freelance/part-time basis?

[alikai]

Just to confirm, my employer has now done its research and agreed that it is a decision between it and me as to whether work gets outsourced to me while I'm on maternity leave. The law states that doing part-time work during maternity leave cannot be grounds for the company then not being obliged to hold open your position for you (eg. if it was a full time position) after your agreed maternity leave term is over. So the same applies obviously for freelance work.