To think it's quite common to do this and it's not unreasonable?

[YuHu]

To go on maternity leave (and take the full amount) knowing full well you won't be going back without telling work until you have to give notice before you're supposed to be returning?

This is what I am doing at the moment, mid way through my maternity leave and I do not intend to return but won't be informing work until I legally have to.

My main reason for this is to safeguard myself in case the situation changes, I think it's far more sensible, even if you think you won't be returning, to not actually make it known until the end.

I did this. I knew I wasn't going back but didn't tell work until the very last moment.

It meant I got the full year's annual leave at the end on my leave as well.

You are absolutely doing the right thing.

I did this.,to be fair although that's your intention now but circumstances may change so you don't want to burn bridges.

Will you have to repay any of the money you received?

It makes sense to hang on because as you say situations can change. YANBU.

Yes I would say it's really common. In my case I did end up going back after swearing I wouldn't to everyone.

Are you just getting regular mat leave, or an enhancement? My previous job had an enhancement in additon to regaular mat leave, BUT, if you didnt return for 6mths working post mat leave, you had to pay the extra money back! Check your contract.

If they were a good employer, I'd give slightly more notice than legally required, but equally, you are under no obligation to do so.

Do you not have to return in lots of places or they can claim back anything they paid as mat pay?

Controversial but honestly I think the behaviour contributes to mothers and all women of child having age looking flakey and unreliable.

I think we should have a system where you get good time off and pay regardless but we don't right now. So it just makes women seem a less reliable option in the workplace.

I did this. You may have to repay some of the money, I owed them a lot but it turns out they owed me way more in annual leave that I was too busy to take before my mat leave started, so I got a nice lump sum at the end.

As others have said check your contract. I'd have to pay a load back if I did that!

I've managed a lot of women on mat leave over the years and this is fairly common, I don't blame them, why give up your job unless you know for certain you can, you'd be a fool to hand in notice then your DH loses his job and you both have nothing. This is the controversial bit, of all the women I've managed who've done this I've not been gutted any of them were leaving, some not great, some ok but none outstanding. I'm not sure if this is just coincidence or indicates a behaviour more likely in those who either don't prioritise their career or weren't the best fit for the role/organisation anyway, and that made them more likely to not only not come back in any capacity, but also to put themselves first over the team (nothing wrong with any of those things btw).

Oh but they have all had to pay back a large chunk of mat leave of they didn't return for anywhere between 3-12 months depending on seniority, contract and organisation

That’s normal and common, slightly annoying but not unexpected. But if it’s the kind of job where your role is covered by an interim please try and time it so the interim isn’t gone/ got a new role before you resign.

I would have gone back but only for one or two days a week - obviously didn't tell them that, then l got made redundant which they had to pay out as if l was full time. Arsehole of a company to work for so l felt no guilt. Things change so l would always advise someone on mat leave to not make any decisions until they have to.

I don't get any enhanced mat pay, just the standard.

I think it's a bit shit to be honest. You never know when you will want to or have to work with any of these people again in the future so I'd be wary of burning any bridges

What would a man do
Do that

If you just get standard pay then yes I agree it's sensible. You are not just a commodity for an employer, you need to protect yourself and not go closing those doors until you know what your position is, especially in these vulnerable times

I did this. It was in my contract tbat I didn't have to pay any of the money back. It was part of the RBS group, so I didn't worry too much about the ethics of it all 🤷‍♀️

Shit for the employer though, and contributes to the discrimination against employing women of child bearing age at interview. Just be honest

It's completely fine and normal. You will give plenty of notice for them to be able to recruit someone else.

I would not tell them anything unless you have to but be aware if you don’t go back for a certain amount of time after your mat leave there is a good chance you would have to pay your mat leave pay back, you would need to check your contract and with HR.

It's fine to give the same amount of notice as you would need to if you were leaving for any other reason. Like you say things can change. You may change your mind, your partner could lose their job, the company might make you redundant. To suggest that pregnant women should give more notice than anyone else, in case of being seen as flakey, is discriminatory. There's no other situation where anyone gives notice a year in advance

You have to safeguard your own best interests within the law because no one else will.

I did this thinking that DH's job might have been at risk and just in case I then had to go back. His job ended up being fine and the law firm I worked for made me redundant whilst on maternity leave! If they had waited a short while I would have handed in my notice but it was during a round of redundancies they were making during a certain recession and I ended up with over a year's pay and being able to stay home with DS longer.

Absolutely do what you legally can to protect your position.