Maternity leave new job

[Tax12]

Hoping people can help as I'm very confused.

I have worked for one local authority for over 5 years and have been back from maternity leave over 8 months. I have been offered a job in a new local authority (same role) and if I fell pregnant early on in the job role would I get continued service for enhanced maternity leave?
I have tried to ask about continued service in regards to my annual leave entitlement and they are unsure. I did not want to ask about maternity leave in case they see my plan 🫣
Thank you in advance!

I doubt it - it’s a new employer so why would continued service apply? Mind you I’ve only ever worked in the private sector

Check your contract. In my & neighbouring LA's there is a continuous service agreement which means that as long as the date of leaving one LA and starting at the next one match up, you are treated as though you've been in the same job, as a local govt employee, for pensions, annual leave, mat, sickness etc. However I'm aware from colleagues who have moved here that our system is more generous than some (I'm in an area where there are lots of councils close together and moving between them is common, so they have a reciprocal agreement)

I've just found out a colleague who previously worked at the local authority I am going over too, had continued service moving to my current local authority, so I am thinking it's likely to exist the other way around
It is similar here with a lot of local authorities all close together

Continuous service applies with my neighbouring LA. Be careful with your notice period though! I has a colleague who was given a provisional start date for new LA so gave notice at old LA, new LA didn't complete the checks in time so moved the start date, old LA wouldn't allow her to stay on past notice period, she lost 5 years of continuous service.

When you say you're reluctant to ask, do you mean your current or your new employer? Presumably you've had contact with someone in HR at the new LA, I can't see why you couldn't ask them about the conditions, including mat leave and continuous service?
I wouldn't move anywhere that didn't honour my current benefits (given many would, so it would be daft to go somewhere that didn't) So it's a very reasonable question to ask them!

@JLou08 ok so you can't have any break at all employment, that's good to know she must have been gutted!

@Hibernatingtilspring
Just as I was thinking I haven't heard anything from the new Local authority I've had a contract come through on my emails. (Too busy in work today to check personal emails) Reading it, it states nothing about continued service so now I have an email directly for HR I will email them and ask about continued service for maternity leave. I didn't want to ask when they ask you in the interview "any questions"
Thank you!

@Tax12 again, you should be able to check (either in your contract, with new HR, or on your staff portal) about continuous service agreements.
In our area the end date and start date have to be within something like 5 working days for it to be honoured. That end date is the end of the notice period though, and most people will have annual leave to take at the end of their notice so it's possible to have a short break, but not say, a month between jobs (not that many of us public sector people could afford much time off unpaid!)

Thank you all
I confirmed with the new local authorities HR that it is continued service so I'd be entitled to maternity leave, so good news!
Thanks for the advice

I’m so glad for you! Plus I’ve learned something yay