Do I have to give my intended return date on my maternity letter (with Mat 1B form)?

[weeblueberry]

Last time I was pregnant I gave an intended return date and then, into the maternity leave, requested that I have my last month as annual leave because I'd accrued so much leave that I couldn't carry it the next year. Rather than ask for it to be paid as extra it just seemed easier to do it this way. My boss was clearly unhappy about it (as she is about any accrued leave while on maternity but that's another story) but did as I asked. Likely because she spoke to the accountant/legal support who said she had to legally give me it one way or another.

Anyway I'm pregnant again and would rather keep my expected return date off the letter for both the reasons above and because we don't know what our financial situation will be after the first four months so I'm reluctant to give an actual date. Last time she made a very pointed effort to note in the confirmation letter that I was changing the date I had initially requested and that she was doing me a massive favour by changing it. Something I know you're legally able to do at any point.

All the templates I can find online for the letter have a return date on them but it seems that's because they're supposing you'll take the full year when I definitely won't (will probably take 6 months).

I have Googled which hasn't turned up anything so hoped you guys could help.

[superram]

No and they are not allowed to ask-if they do you can say not sure. They have to assume you will take the year but you have to give 28 days notice of your return ( unless your contract says different, possibly linked to additional payment).

[weeblueberry]

Thanks! She will ask and due to the set up of the business I am inclined to verbally say six months but that I would like to use KIT days to confirm this closer to the end of the period. It's a very small business and she's taking over my accounts while I'm on leave so I do want her to know as much about my plans as I can while being able to stay as flexible as possible.

[PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom]

They are legally allowed to ask. But they aren't legally allowed to force you to answer. If you don't give a date, they should just assume 52 weeks.

[BikeRunSki]

My employer only asked me when unintended to return to work when my babies were about 6 or 7 months old, basically enough time for me to give 28 days notice of my intention to return to work before I went onto nil pay.

[Bondy83]

You only need to give your employer 4 weeks notice of your intended return to work. You should be entitled to 52 weeks leave (although the last 13 wks would be unpaid) and of course your entitled to any holidays that you would normally accrue had you been in work. I had to sit down with my employer and we went through dates at which my 39wk smp runs out and when my final date is (52wk) but more so we both knew when that was not so we could arrange a return to work date at this time.

[scratchandsniff]

I thought you had to give a return date, but you're allowed to give notice (8weeks I think) to change it. My company has a template letter on the intranet and that has a section for return date. This could just be company policy though.

[weeblueberry]

Thanks all. Really helpful to get different perspectives on it too.

I know legally I have to give 4 weeks notice but due to the fact she'll be taking over all the business I work on I really feel, morally, that even giving her a ballpark date is necessary. If she knows it will be six months for instance she won't replace me while I'm off. If she thought it would be more than that she'd probably try and get someone in to do the work as it wouldn't be feasible for her to do it long term.