Do I have to tell in job interview I'm currently on maternity leave?

[Iworry2021]

Hi everyone,

So I'm currently on maternity leave, due to come back in August.

I want to leave my company and didn't put on my CV that I'm currently on maternity leave, as I read online, that you don't have to point out on your CV that you were on maternity leave.

Yesterday I had an interview that went really well and I might progress to the next stage if I'm lucky.

I didn't mention to the HR lady that I'm currently on maternity leave as it wasn't on my CV either.

I have serious doubts today if I did the right thing and if is can work against me if they find out.

Can anyone give some advice? x

I'd like to add that my old company put my job at risk as well, so I most likely will lose my job and I really need a new job otherwise we might face a financial disaster. I just didn't want to mention that I was on maternity leave in case there was conscious or subconscious discrimination against that (e.g. "oh, she has been out of work for almost a year", "oh, she has a small child,how will she cope?")

I don’t think it’s a massive gamble at all. They will quite probably be delighted with voluntary redundancy and there is no reason for the new employer to know about mat leave it is irrelevant.

I've just been offered a new job while on maternity leave. I didn't say anything about the mat leave in my application as it wasn't relevant. I did mention it in the interview but only because there may have been screaming from the next room. It hasn't been a problem and they're happy for me to finish my leave before I start (it's public sector so possibly a bit different).

I had a 6 month notice period in a previous job. The next employer waited too.

I don't really see how it's a massive gamble at all. If they do insist on going through all the redundancy meetings/procedures which takes months, the OP can just hand in her notice and forgo her redundancy pay. Not ideal, but at least she's walking into another job.

There is a legal process a company has to follow when going through redundancy. It's not quite that straight forward.

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@MsVestibule

I don't really see how it's a massive gamble at all. If they do insist on going through all the redundancy meetings/procedures which takes months, the OP can just hand in her notice and forgo her redundancy pay. Not ideal, but at least she's walking into another job.

No, she will have to pay back her maternity pay.

@JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn

There is a legal process a company has to follow when going through redundancy. It's not quite that straight forward.

Not if the person elects for voluntary redundancy.

No, she will have to pay back her maternity pay

Where are you getting that from? The OP has said she doesnt think she will have to pay it back.

This thread has reminded me that I changed jobs while on mat leave and I think the issue did come up as they wanted me to start a little earlier than I was hoping to and I explained the situation. It wasn't a problem for me but of course my situation nearly 2 decades ago has no bearing on yours now

I'd play iy by ear if you get further interviews and have an explanation prepared if you think it's getting impossible not to mention it.

She said she won't need to pay it back if she's made redundant!

No, don't mention it, I agree you're possibly protecting yourself from some discrimination, unconscious or otherwise. I had a few job interviews on mat leave last time as I wanted to get a better paying job, I never mentioned it to anyone. Unfortunately I didn't get any of the positions anyway though!

You did the right thing not mentioning it to prospective employer. However, you can’t be on maternity leave snd start the second job, you would need to resign (and possibly pay back enhanced maternity). Why would your company make you redundant if you are intending to resign-you will leave for free rather than them paying out?