to want my annual leave before or after ML instead of just a payment?

[MrsHuxtable]

Ahhhh,
my boss is being complicated again. I spoke to him earlier on the phone about how he wanted to handle my annual leave next year when I'm on ML. I asked him whether he wanted to add it at the start or end of my ML and he said that he wasn't going to do that but instead pay me 1 weeks worth of holiday pay every three months that I'm off.
Now I don't want that and have in the meanwhile found information that suggests he can't do that.

How did everyone else's employers handle annual leave and ML?
We have no written maternity policy handbook or HR department.

I was given the option of starting straight back and having the leave another time, or tacking it onto the end of ML. Once I decided not to go back to work, they paid me instead.

I'm no expert, but I think they have to treat you as if you were working as normal, therefore you should have the option to add the leave on. I don't know anyone who has not been given the option to tack it on.

*therefore you should have the right to take the leave as leave, (I meant to say)

see here, under Holiday Entitlement

I am taking 2 weeks from next week, then going on ML and have (provisionally) said I will take the full year off. I know that my work will allow me to take all my holiday allowance for next year after my ML if I wanted.

I don't think they are allowed to do that either.

This from direct.gov.uk:

Holiday entitlement
You build up all your entitlements to paid holiday through all of your Statutory Maternity Leave. This is even if your employment contract says you are entitled to more than the statutory minimum.
You can add holiday to the beginning or end of your Statutory Maternity Leave. You may not be able to carry over untaken holiday entitlement if your Statutory Maternity Leave goes over two holiday years. It is often best to take this at the beginning of your Statutory Maternity Leave.

Bugger, Paschaelina, always with the x-posts I am far too slow!

I'm very glad you put that first comma in, Whackamole

Mrs H, suggest you repost this to Employment Issues and ask Flowery to advise you.

Yes, that's the information I have too. Section 2.4 here

www.nelsonsonline.co.uk/nelsons/index.cfm?event=base:article&node=A76018B0D33502

Thanks, I will repost this in Employment issues. It's just so exhausting. Every week since he found out I'm pregnant, he's been coming up with something new he actually can't do. I'm wondering if from now on I should just communicate with him in writing...

Thanks for your replies.

i want to go to the Maldives again

unfortunately wont be this year :(

The Maldives? I want to go too!

Just bumping this to hopefully get some more opinions from the evening crowd...

I was told you could get holidy leave for the statutary and ordinary maternity leave period. MY HR department said it used to be for only the six month SP period, but that was changed. Do not know how accurate that is though. I am tagging my holiday leave onto my maternity leave at the end as I will take a year in total inc. holiday.