Annual leave carry over NHS maternity- discriminatory?

[Soundbathfan]

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this or if this is unusual and whether I am being unreasonable in considering it discriminatory

Statutory allowance is 210 hours or 28 days
Total for year inc occupational plus bank holidays is 315 hours or 42 days
I start mat leave early Jan but have been told I need to do one of the following:

1. Carry over statutory allowance only
2. Carry over 37.5 of the 315 and take the rest

(Effectively I can do whichever is greater; by doing 1 I would be losing A LOT of leave)

This is in my trusts policy and I have called HR and they have confirmed it is the case but it seems strange to be asked to take leave I haven't yet accrued?!

Thoughts appreciated!

That is similar to my trust. Any carryover even for maternity is at manager's discretion (unless you're off sick).

How I worked mine is preloaded all the annual leave to my maternity leave (took maternity leave at 38+5 however was off on annual leave from 34+5).

You will have a full annual leave quota though at the end of your maternity leave to take as well.

Also NHS and I deal with a LOT of maternity leave, just checked our policy and it says “employees are encouraged to take their annual leave entitlement for the current leave year before commencing maternity leave. Where this has not been possible the leave may be carried forward and taken at the end of the maternity leave period”.

I know you said you spoke to HR but have you checked your Trust’s maternity leave policy? You say you have 315 hours, have you not taken any annual leave at all this year?

I work for the NHS and currently on mat leave. I had to take all of this financial years entitlement before I went on leave so just took all of it before my official may leave start date. Meaning I had 6 weeks of annual leave off before mat leave started on my due date.