I'd really appreciate any help on this one (and can't remember the last time I was so stumped by a quick phone enquiry).

Client is a vet. She works as a locum - both doing occassional days for different vets surgerys and for the last 1 and 1/2 years at the Blue Cross.

Client is about to start Maternity leave. She has actually qualified for SMP (Not MA - she has the higher rate for the first 6 weeks) through the Blue Cross.

Client is fairly recently qualified and worried about spending a long period without practising. She asks whether she can take occassional days of the other locum work without effecting her SMP from the Blue Cross. If she can't she will still take work as a volunteer but obviously she would like to be paid if possible.

I know that if you qualify for SMP for 2 separate jobs you can return to work for one job and not affect the SMP for the other - so I feel she SHOULD be OK. However because she is a locum I'm not sure it is that clear cut.

Anyone know anything further ?

Thanks,

Victoria J

Hi,
As a locum is she not self employed?

That is what I would have assumed - with all the locum work being one type of self employment.

But with one work place paying SMP it doesn't seem likely that SMP consider it like that. The SMP is definitely paid through the Blue Cross (they've already written to her about it), and must be based on her work with them only.

Victoria J

If Blue Cross are happy to pay SMP, then I can find no bar to her undertaking other S/E locum work. If she was an emplyed earner with two separate employers she could potentially receive SMP from both.

John