How To Fix 5G278 - Employee has received no SMP; 18 week disqualifying period for MA

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: 5G - HR: Messages for Britain

• Message number: 278

• Message text: Employee has received no SMP; 18 week disqualifying period for MA

What causes this issue?

If a female employee is receiving neither Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
nor Maternity Allowance (MA), she is disqualified from receiving
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for only 18 weeks on or after the start of her
maternity absence, rather than 26 weeks if she had received SMP or MA
payments.
The employee herself has to volunteer this information, because if she
has been excluded from SMP, the employer is not notified if she is in
receipt of MA. Where she is not, you can verify this by referring to the
JobCentre Plus or Social Security office, and then apply the short
disqualifying period.
The start of the 18 weeks short disqualifying period is defined in two
ways:
From the Sunday at the start of the week, on or after the start of the
fourth week before the EWC, that she is absent from work wholly or
mainly for a pregnancy-related reason
From the Sunday at the start of the week in which the baby is born.

System Response

The system issues an error message and will not allow you to continue with this transaction until the error is resolved.

How to fix this error?

Procedure for System Administrators

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message 5G278 - Employee has received no SMP; 18 week disqualifying period for MA ?

  The SAP error message 5G278 indicates that an employee has not received any Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and is currently in an 18-week disqualifying period for Maternity Allowance (MA). This error typically arises in the context of payroll processing in the UK, particularly when dealing with maternity leave and pay.
  Cause:
  
  Eligibility Criteria Not Met: The employee may not meet the eligibility criteria for SMP, which includes having worked for the employer for a certain period and earning above a specific threshold.
  Insufficient Earnings: The employee's average earnings may be below the required threshold to qualify for SMP.
  Employment Status: The employee may not have been employed long enough or may not have provided the necessary documentation to qualify for SMP.
  Disqualifying Period: The employee may be in a disqualifying period for MA, which can occur if they have not been employed for a sufficient period or have not paid enough National Insurance contributions.
  
  Solution:
  
  Review Eligibility: Check the employee's eligibility for SMP by reviewing their employment history, earnings, and National Insurance contributions.
  Documentation: Ensure that all necessary documentation has been submitted by the employee, including the MATB1 form (Maternity Certificate).
  Correct Payroll Configuration: Verify that the payroll system is correctly configured to handle SMP and MA calculations. This includes ensuring that the employee's pay records are accurate.
  Consult HR Policies: Review the company's HR policies regarding maternity leave and pay to ensure compliance with legal requirements.
  Communicate with the Employee: Inform the employee about their status and any actions they may need to take to qualify for SMP or MA.
  
  Related Information:
  
  Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP): This is a government-mandated payment for eligible employees who take maternity leave. To qualify, employees must have been employed for at least 26 weeks by the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth and must earn above a certain threshold.
  Maternity Allowance (MA): This is a benefit for those who do not qualify for SMP. Eligibility for MA typically requires a minimum number of weeks of employment and National Insurance contributions.
  Disqualifying Period: The 18-week disqualifying period refers to a timeframe during which an employee may not qualify for MA due to insufficient contributions or employment history.
  
  If the issue persists after checking these factors, it may be beneficial to consult with an SAP specialist or your payroll department for further assistance.