Secondary teachers maternity leave

[PuppyMummy]

Hi all
Im a secondary teacher and have been told my maternity leave has to start on a Monday.

I am due on sat 31st May so want to work up to Fri 30th (end of half term week) I am being told I have to start mat leave on Mon 26th? is this right and if so why?

I have some info from my union to have a look at and online info suggests I am entitled to start on the day I want...

[Ja9]

It's my understanding that the latest you can begin your leave is the beginning of the week of your due date... So the Sunday as you thought too. ( as a teacher... Don't know if it's different for other workplaces)

[Shente]

I've never heard of this, dd was born in the summer holidays and my leave started the day she was born (Wednesday) it may be easier to start a supply contract on a Monday but I can't imagine it's that hard not to.

[Algorithm]

I know someone who did what you wanted to do - and ended up having their child the night they left school, they started the super early stages at school

[LIZS]

I think all the calculations for SMP/ML dates are based on whole weeks starting on Mondays. Does it actually make a difference though as if you took the full year you'd have half term paid anyway, either before or after ML.

[PuppyMummy]

thanks everyone NASUWT info says it can start any day before birth so ill have a word with HR.

im not taking a year so if I have to start on the mon I miss a weeks normal pay when its half term anyway so not in school. thats why I want the mat leave to start on the fri! frustrating!

[2kidsintow]

If you want to work up to the Friday 31st, put the following Monday as your start of mat leave. So Monday, 2nd June.

[Jenologist]

If it HAS to start on a Monday, shouldn't it be Monday the 2nd of June? so you would have worked up until May 30th?

[holidaysarenice]

2kidsintow I don't think op can put the 2nd of june as she is due before that. I don't think mat leave can start after due date.

[HedgeHogGroup]

Maternity leave always starts on a Sunday according to Burgundy Book & cannot start after your due date.

[zipzap]

How accurate are your due dates?

Dsis had her due date changed by the midwife at 40 weeks when they realised they were fully booked already for induction places for her 42nd week

Maybe a friendly midwife could shift your due date by a day or two if you 'found' an old diary or something with better dates in? Worth asking her and sidestepping the problem

[JennyCalendar]

I was due in the summer holidays. I put my due date as the start of ML, which was a Sunday. Your due date is the latest day that you can put. I was not told that it had to be a specific week day.

[2kidsintow]

Ooops - missed that bit in the OP. Durrrr.