To take annual leave before maternity starts?

[user6776]

I'm 28 weeks and considering doing it. I'm so tired. My body is telling me to rest but I obviously can't at the minute working full time. I also have a 4 year old with additional needs, so the exhaustion is even more full on. I'm fully aware I still probably have 10-12 weeks before baby is here but I'd love nothing more than to just do nothing honestly!

To me, it only makes sense as I won't be using any of my annual leave next year anyway so not sure what would happen to it if I didn't take it.

Anybody else done this?

Good point about them clocking you might just go on sick instead.

Options, what lots of people do is to use annual leave wisely to reduce their working week. Taking say Tuesdays and Thursdays off so your getting breaks while at the tired stages.

Rather than starting maternity early. You can also take holidays at the end of your mat leave so you start getting paid again.

Take the leave.

My baby is 10 weeks old now and I took 2 weeks annual leave before my due date.

I ended up needing to be induced at the end of the my first week of annual leave and I didn't feel ready. Induction talks started the second day of my annual leave!

I regret not taking more time.

Trust me, TAKE IT!

Being exhausted is not a good enough reason for them to be okay with me WFH full time. I do feel very much the attitude is to just "get on with it" but I am really struggling at the moment

The doctor can put restrictions on your fit note to enable you to have certain things which will help you feel well - working from home etc.

The year maternity leave that you are taking, how is that made up? Are you taking 39 weeks paid (SMP and any enhanced maternity) + 13 weeks unpaid?

Any bank holidays before your maternity leave will be used on the days they happen, after maternity leave you’ll get those days added to your leave. So Jan 1st will be taken on Jan 1st but the other 7 will be added to your holiday allowance for next year. You need to work out when you start maternity leave, count the 39 weeks from you maternity start and that will be when the unpaid leave starts. My dates might be a bit out so double check, but starting mat leave on 8th Jan would take you to 7th Oct until the unpaid leave starts. You would have 6 ish weeks of annual leave and could go up to full pay at the end of October by using that accrued leave which would cover Christmas next year. Or you could use a couple of days of leave each week to get a smaller wage but see you through that period until after Christmas, If you started maternity on 26th February, you paid maternity leave would end around the 20th November, but you wouldn’t have any annual leave to boost your pay.

Work out when the money would be useful to you and then take maternity leave/annual leave to fit that.

I used annual leave to be off from 36 weeks till my due date. Baby was a week early so I got one week's annual leave back to use at the end of my mat leave. Win-win.

For one of my pregnancies I used the 5 weeks of annual leave I had left so could finish early (was struggling with spd). I then took the full year off and used the annual leave accrued for the end of my.mat leave so had almost 15 months off altogether.

My work wasn't helping me, I was on a very busy delivery suite and was really struggling to move. They didn't want me to take my annual leave but I said the alternative was I went off sick so they gave it to me. I was on crutches the week I finished so it was the best decision I made

I would 100% say go early, either with AL or maternity leave early. I had planned to go at 37 weeks but was struggling so much I went at 36 and it was the best decision I made.

Some people are able to work up to their due date or to 37/38/39 weeks but I was barely surviving. I napped at lunchtime and almost as soon as I finished work and my rib and hip pain was unbareable. Now I am off, taking things slowly, I am leas tired and in a lot less pain (still crap but not like it was).

Yes I may regret it at the end of my Mat leave not to have a few more weeks but right now I need the time.

Just my point of view and aware it's very different to most of the posts.

Yes, you don't actually have to roll over and accept this attitude from your employer OP.

You do need to check with HR how much annual leave you can take if your allowance resets in January.

The way mine worked was I could only take annual leave as pro-rata'd up until mat leave start date.
So, e.g if you were to start mat leave 1st Feb then you would only get 2 or 3 days entitlement as only worked 1 month of the year, obvs depending on your annual entitlement for exact figure, and you would get the NYD bank holiday.

You typically wouldn't be able to take the full year's AL entitlement then start mat leave as you've not accrued it yet.
I haven't taken AL for 5 months this pregnancy so can take what I've accrued over that 5 months then start mat leave.

If you are struggling with work making reasonable adjustments then just go to your GP and get a Fit note with the requirements of WFH, reduced hours, etc. I did this for reduced hours just to shorten day by 1 hour from 24 weeks onward and it's made a massive difference. Work can't refuse a fit note and will have to take you seriously then.

I purposely saved up AL this time, as last pregnancy I really struggled going off at 36 weeks despite using AL to reduce working week by a day from weeks 32-36. You can start your mat leave from 29 weeks but bare in mind it will mean less time when baby is here. Just food for though basically.

i worked to the end last time - but ended up wanting to go back to work when my daughter was 8 months old as I really struggled with maternity leave - lonely and fed up tbh

so really i should have taken some leave beforehand I think!

This time i'm due end of may and going to finish up 4 weeks early and use all the annual leave

Spend some quality time with my 2 year old (still send her to nursery some days and get myself rested and organised!)

I could only use the AL I had accrued before going on Mat leave so not a full years entitlement so what I did was use my AL to drop down to 2/3 working days per week before starting mat leave at 36w

I then had to use the rest of the years AL and all that was accrued through mat leave afterwards

If you are not coping though perhaps go to GP / Occupational help for either sick note or work place ammendments

To everyone who says a company must let you roll over unused leave on maternity, that's not true. I went on mat leave in July and all my accrued leave from July to December was paid out in my December pay packet. So if your company is the same, depends on whether you'd prefer the time or the money?!

@pumpkinfarm

Your employer acted unlawfully.

You can only pay statutory holiday allowance in lieu of leave at termination of contract.

https://www.acas.org.uk/your-maternity-leave-pay-and-other-rights/holiday-and-maternity-leave#:~:text=You%20still%20accrue%20(build%20up,before%20or%20after%20maternity%20leave.

I’m 35 weeks and taking two weeks annual leave starting next Monday before my official maternity leave starts.

I feel massive, am in pain when I walk or move atm. I only work from home, but not having to sit in a chair all day will make a massive difference. I’d do it. Pregnancy is hard work and really takes its toll on the body (something I was very naive to before I got pregnant).

If you genuinely won't be able to carry over any of your 2024 annual leave to 2025 (when you're back from maternity), then it's no-brainer to take it all now. Or at least all but the 5 days you can carry over. Otherwise you'll lose it all.

I'd be wary of going off sick though, because can't you then be made to start your mat leave early, if you're past a certain date? I'd be checking that first.

My understanding is that you can either request to have it paid or tag it onto the end of your maternity leave. If your employer gave you no choice then that was wrong.

Do you get sick pay OP? You could go off sick and your employer can't take disciplinary action against you if pregnancy related....maybe a week off would help. Or definitely speak to midwife or GP for a fit note to wfh.

Honestly your employer can say what they want but you are heavily protected legally so speak to your GP /midwife to tell them you are struggling and see what they suggest - don't use your annual leave without seeing if you can make it work in other ways first.

If you go off sick, you need to be mindful it can trigger your mat leave early...but that's at I think 36 weeks so maybe a week or two off now would give you a well deserved break and mean you can carry on.

Please domt struggle on, you don't need to...your employer has a duty to consider your pregnancy and protect your wellbeing and health.

I saved up alot of my leave and took 5 weeks before my last maternity leave. It was glorious.

It's your leave to take as it suits, just give them plenty of notice so they can plan accordingly, get your cover to start earlier or give you chance to train someone.

Make sure you don't just lose all of your leave by not using it, you are entitled to it!

Sounds like heaven!!

Don't think mine works like that

I finished at 36 weeks on both my pregnancies. Holiday from 36 to 39 then maternity leave from 39 to when baby arrived - 2 weeks with my first and 1 day with my second lol. Between 32 and 36 weeks I dropped to 4 days then 3 days for 2 weeks. First time was luck as we had family visiting from abroad so I took holiday to spend with them. Second time I planned that way for good reason (below)

I don't do pregnancy very well and my second was awful to the point it has put me off another for a while. I labour well so that was the silver lining lol. But pregnancy was awful so I understand how you feel. By 36 weeks I was struggling. I could barely drive I was so big (not even twins as much as everyone asked). Sciatica was terrible. I was exhausted from working full time and then coming back to look after my eldest during my second pregnancy. Some people just don't do pregnancy very well and that is totally fine! If I could have finished at 30/32 weeks I would have done second time around and there was talk I was going to be signed off by the doctor / midwife.

YANBU to want to leave to rest. If you can't take annual leave then ask your gp to sign you off. Do not underestimate how debilitating exhaustion can be during pregnancy. I really regret not doing similar on my second pregnancy. I actually felt great after the baby was born even at home with a toddler and a newborn. Honestly think of yourself this is one time you can be a bit selfish.