Do any parents use 4 weeks unpaid parental leave each year when returning to full time work?

[ThePoisedOpalBird]

I am potentially getting a full time job. I wont lie I am really struggling emotionally with this as I have only worked 2 days a week since ds1 was born but life is expensive and my partner is keen for me to earn more now my mat leave from ds2 is due to end so we can save to buy a house.

I have been looking at holiday allowance, bank holidays etc to see how to optimise my time with the kids.

Has anyone used a large amount of their unpaid parental leave to take extra time off each year?

I am thinking of using 4 weeks a year to boost my holiday total and increase the amount of time I get with the kids.

Does anyone else do this? Do your employers mind? I figured with holiday allowance of 5 weeks and 4 weeks of unpaid parental leave I would be almost doubling the time I get off with the kids which might help alleviate some of the sadness I feel about leaving them.

I have used it a couple of times in the lives of my (now late teens) kids. It's most useful, to me when I know I want a full week off, as this means paid leave days can be used more flexibly for long weekends, covering sickness etc.

OP whilst it might not endear you to your employer in your first week, it is absolutely an entitlement and you should feel no shame in using it. I work at a huge multinational law firm where we’re all under pressure on time recording targets but I and other senior lawyers use parental leave entitlement as we please. Our time recording targets are adjusted accordingly and no one bats an eyelid as they aren’t losing out. No one is indispensable and employers aren’t family. Unless you’re very unlucky 😂
i’m a single mother and my 29 days allowance doesn’t go far! So I’m using a week at Christmas.

Will you really be better off than you are right now on two days per week, though, if you are being paid minimum wage and taking 4 weeks unpaid in which you will have to pay the CM anyway?

I ask cos you say your reason for working FT is because your DP is stressed about money.

If me and my partner split I would have full custody so yeah I would still be doing everything.

But i'm not basing my current work life on whether I may or may not split. I will be focusing on earning my wage and maximising the time with my kids.

Childminder doesn't cost anything as we use the free childcare. I will be about £5-600 better off each month compared to part time.

Actually it can. You can request flexibke working but if it doesn't meet business needs they can say no.

But if you are working 5 full days a week, won't you need more than the 30 hours?

She said her DP has a weekday off

I need 28 hours a week so we only pay for 6 hours a week each at £5 an hour so its still very worthwhile financially.

You keep saying “when I pass probation”. You have t been offered the job yet!

I never normally comment but some of the replies here I’ve found really odd!

I havent used any yet but plan on taking 4 weeks per year during the primary school years and I also intend on asking for a sabbatcial for 6 months before my youngest goes to school!

It’s your right to ask but agree I wouldnt ask whilst on probation due to people’s biased views.

I hope you get the job and get granted the leave. They are only little once!

I love that you are doing what works for you and focusing on time with your kids. I’ve really enjoyed reading how outraged everyone is that you want to use something you are legally entitled to and telling you that your relationship will inevitably break down.

It’s so weird to me that women are supposed to care about their employer’s profits, frustrations and inconveniences, in a minimum wage job, where they will replace you in a heartbeat. Why is everyone so keen to show loyalty when it would not be reciprocated?!

I took 2-3 weeks parental leave every summer from when my twins were in Reception through to year 6 or 7. I don’t take it now as they’re nearly 16 and not bothered about hanging out with me any more but at the time it worked really well for us all.
I work for a charity with very family friendly policies and it has never been an issue, I always booked it well in advance and my team knew I wouldn’t be around for most of August and planned accordingly.

Personally speaking I was referring to the loyalty between colleagues who may be likeminded parents and who may want the same time as her off. There has to be some flexibility within teams to maximise the bosses likelihood of saying yes to the multiple requests that could possibly occur.

So going in in the basis that she doesn't care about anyones needs but her own does not bode well.

And employers have to give the pre-planned leave but not necessarily when the OP needs it, so staying on the good side of employers and colleagues is a better plan than that that which she proposes. Its called being realistic and optimising your chances.

You will have a probationary period. If you take that much leave in the first 6 months I don’t expect they will keep you on.

Your partner is keen for you to earn more? I bet he hasn’t factored in any of his own holiday to have his kids over holiday periods. I also bet that he’d expect you to do the same amount of pick ups, drop offs and housework whether you work full or part time.

You said your partner is eager for you to earn more which means he is taking the brunt of the work and therefore earnings. I'm not sure a month unpaid every year is the way forward?

You might not be able to take annual leave during your probation as there may be others on leave already and/or a minimum period of notice required. Holidays don't have to be approved when you request them either if there is a business need to have you there.

You are also likely to have to use annual leave for the bank holidays over Christmas if your place of employment is closed on those days - if it's closed for the week that's 6 days you have to take. Your employer may not even allow more than 1 week annual leave during probation. Are you prepared for that?

You may not get any annual leave until January, except the two bank holidays, if you start at the beginning of November.

I'm just refering in general to any job I get. Once I pass probation in a job then I will ask for parental leave.

I have no time restrictions on when I need to take this time. I am using it prior to them being school age so if anything I would prefer to use it outside of school holidays so I don't really think my colleagues wanting leave too is an issue for me.

Probation is 12 weeks. I have pre-planned holiday during that time which as far as I am aware most employers honour pre-booked holiday.

Once I am out of probation I will request unpaid parental leave.

My kids aren't school age so no issue with him needing to use his holiday for childcare reasons. And when that time comes in a few years he has no issue using his holiday/unpaid parental leave during the holidays.

He will also be solely responsible for pick ups and drops offs as I will be at work!

Well yes when I work part time and he works full time of course he is taking the brunt of the financial burden.

He is however aware the only way I will agree to work full time is if he is happy for me to make use of my unpaid parental leave to make up for the time I am missing and he is happy with this.

I wont be starting until December and yes I know most places close for Christmas.

I have pre-arranged holiday which I know most places honour (even if I have to take that time unpaid I don't really mind).

In which case if I have a week at christmas off when they are closed and another week at beginning of Feb when I am booked off I am very happy with that.

Then once out of probation I will arrange my unpaid parental leave.

You’re not likely to have accrued enough leave for 2 weeks off in 3 months.