Contact during maternity leave?!

[bubs12]

I'm currently onto my second week of annual leave before I start my maternity leave next Monday. However since I have left work (15th July) I have been absolutely hounded by the woman who took over my job asking how to do things and my manager has now text me twice within the last week to go in an help out. It's completely stressing me out, do I have any legal obligation to them? Bearing in mind they have known what date I was starting my mat leave since May?

[trinity0097]

You're not on maternity leave yet though?

[bubs12]

No not yet, I'm on holiday until Friday then start my maternity leave on Monday.

[Rhubardandcustard]

If you want to keep goodwill with them, do you plan to return to work after maternity leave finishes? If so you could say yes to go in to help once your maternity leave kicks in and can have it as one of your KIT days, I think you are allowed 10 KIT days and they should pay you full pay for this day and your maternity leave is not affected.

[bubs12]

Thanks for your response. I'm not planning on returning after my maternity finishes, & only receive SMP so won't owe them anything. I've been looking in to the KIT days but they have never mentioned it to me. I've already been in to help train my cover the other weekend and didn't really receive any recognition at all. I feel as if they are taking the Mickey because they didn't get my cover I sooner, it's only an admin position in the company, not exactly a managerial role.

[RNBrie]

Whilst on annual leave, i'd go in for a day or two but ask for those days to be added to the end of your mat leave. I'm not sure of the rules but at my company annual leave is at your managers discretion and can be cancelled for business reasons.

Once you're on mat leave you have no legal obligation to do anything. You can use KIT days which you'll be paid for but has to be on agreement by both parties.

They're taking the piss, but it depends how much goodwill you want to foster. Did you do a decent handover to the new person?!

[RNBrie]

Cross posted with you OP! If you're not going back then sod them. Stop answering the phone.

[NapQueen]

I would email the replacement and cc in your manager and hr. Soemthing along the lines of "currently I am on annual leave, and would not normally be expected to undertake work duties, however I can quickly reply to the questions you have already raised. Once I am on Maternity Leave from Monday I will be uncontactable for queries as; understandably; I will be preparing and resting ahead of the birth. Please redirect any questions to 《insert line managers name》 from now on"

[dementedpixie]

Don't answer the phone? Screen your calls. They shouldn't be harassing you and will have to learn to cope without you

[bubs12]

Thanks everyone, unfortunately they don't have a HR dept. I was only given a few hours to hand over as she was called in last minute. There was another woman I was handing over to but she left on the second day as it was too much for her. There is a total lack of communication throughout the office. I feel bad for my replacement but there are other people there who could train her. It's stressing me out so much!

[Gooseygoosey12345]

Your health is so much more important than your job. I would speak to them and let them know that you won't be able to help as you are not currently working.
In other words eff 'em 😁

[user1468321775]

You dont have obligation to do it, however you can CHOOSE to do up to 10 keep in touch days through the course of your maternity leave (which you should be paid basic pay for). Any more and I think you could loose your SMP status.

By the sounds of it they didnt arrange cover for your role until the weeks before ou went off despite the length of a pregnancy - not really your problem tbh.

[user1468321775]

If its easier though - you could put together a written handover which details what to do in each circumstance. Might stop them bothering you, but would require you to work a day or so on.

[KirstyJC]

If you are not planning on returning (whether they know that or not) I would simply send an email to your manager and the other person saying that you are no longer at work and are resting and will no longer be replying to any messages or calls. And then stick to it. What can they do about it exactly?