Maternity leave

[Findingthisdifficult1234]

When you went/or go on maternity leave- how did you tell your employer what your plans are? Do you have to write a letter saying you plan on starting mat leave on (whatever date) and what date you are returning etc?
I would like to take the full year off but I won't be going back to that particular job (ill be looking for a new one at the end of the year off)
Thanks for any help :)

[Brummiegirl15]

You don't really have to do much except tell your employer by the 15 th week before your due date. So basically you must tell them by 25 weeks plus obviously you have to give them your matb1 form. And then tell them what date you are finishing and also what date want your maternity leave to actually start (this could be after 2 weeks holiday for example)

With regards to coming back - they have to assume you will take the full year and will come back 52 weeks later.

The only way you need to do anything is if you wish to return earlier you have to advise them (my employer asks for 8 weeks notice if returning before the year is out ) or if you want to add holiday on etc.

if you are leaving you need to give your notice period as stated in your contract.

[LIG1979]

I would not tell them you don't plan to return. You accrue holiday whilst you are off so it is worth taking a year and then taking the month paid holiday at end of your maternity leave. If you quit earlier you will not get this.

[FishWithABicycle]

What LIG1979 said - tell them an expected date to end your ML 52 weeks after it starts. They are legally obliged to keep your job open and if you can't find an alternate job in the right timescale it's good to have a backup option.

[JennyBlueWren]

I work for the council and had a form to fill out with EDD and when I wanted ML to start. I have to give 21 days notice to change it. No questions about when I'll be returning but I've unofficially discussed it with boss as it depends on whether my DH gets a job or not. Everyone assumes I'll take a year but as half of that is unpaid we wouldn't be able to afford it -also if I go back to work early DH can stay at home and look after baby.

[Meirasa]

Deapending on your maternity package, some if you don't return require you to repay any amount paid above SMP if you don't return. This can be a lot of money depending on you package so read you maternity policy. I have to return for 13 weeks after my maternity to resolve that and it may be something like that for you xxx

[Findingthisdifficult1234]

Thanks everyone- so basically ill just write a letter staying I'd like to start maternity leave on this date, my due date is this date and ill be taking 52 weeks mat leave. So at the end of the 52 weeks I'd be able to use up my holiday for next year? What if I'm finishing half way through the year though? (Say June?) I wouldn't get 4 weeks holiday still would I?
I don't get any extra maternity pay so I can definitely leave without having to repay any mat pay.
Thanks everyone :)

[Brummiegirl15]

When you add holiday on the end, you would only get what you have accrued in that year to date

[avocadotoast]

At my work our holiday runs Jan-Dec, and I'm going on mat leave at end of April. They've advised that I don't take more holiday than I'd have accrued by then, but I will continue to accrue leave while I'm off.

I've put in for a week off before the start of my mat leave, and then my intention is to go back after 26 weeks of mat leave but tack on the rest of my holiday to the end (which should take me to November). We're then going to do the shared leave thing and DH will take another 13 weeks (so we will have an overlap, which will be nice).

I'd speak to your HR department as it is very confusing! I'm still trying to work it all out...

[Roseylee20]

Hi, I'm currently nearly 23 weeks and handed my maternity form in at the beginning of this week. You will have to get proof of your pregnancy from your midwife (matb1 form) which will be signed and stamped, and then there will be a little part where you fill in your details and when you would like to go on maternity leave. As far as I'm aware, it's been explained to me that maternity leave is split into 2 parts.. Regular and extended. Regular is 36 weeks (I think) which is paid for (I think that applies to both Statutory pay and maternity allowance) and extended maternity leave is the whole 52 weeks (those weeks between 36 - 52 aren't paid for). I'm due in April and have wrote down that I've decided to take 36 weeks paid maternity as from a date in March. I'm not sure if it's a different procedure for different workplaces so I would speak to your employer x