I've stuffed up a bit with maternity pay/holiday and not sure if I can sort it out.
My original plan was to have two weeks holiday from my edd, on the assumption that this baby would be born pretty close to it like ds was. If it was a bit early, I'd have taken that time unpaid, ditto if late, or I needed a CS - I want at least two weeks at home with the baby before working again. A friend reminded me about MA and that I didn't really need to take the time unpaid completely, I could just take it as unpaid from the parents, and get MA for however many weeks I needed, and just stop it if it was only 2/4/6 or whatever weeks.
Rereading the pack, I've realised that you can't take it for a time after the baby is born - you have to take it from when the baby is actually born. So if it's born on the 10th, you can't take it from the 16th for example...
So far I'm four days late, and this is the middle of the first weeks holiday from the parents (which I take at half pay). Next week is the second, and I'll be induced if I need to be somewhere between tuesday and saturday. If the baby comes after friday, great as I'll have had the two weeks holiday, will then take a few weeks unpaid and claim the MA.
Is there anything I can do if the baby comes between now and then?? As I'm getting paid for next week (only half pay though.. and not actually working) technically I suppose I'm considered to be working. Therefore, cannot apply for MA as you have to not be working.
I was thinking about asking the parents if that week's holiday pay could be 'paid' for the last week I take, and not next week - so if the baby is born this week, next week I take unpaid leave and claim MA, then the week after is the second week of my holiday???
Does this make sense? Obviously I have no clue of the timescale, but I want it to be above board.