Back to work after maternity

[Squishiey]

So I’m an expecting mum to be due in November. I’ve worked out when I should be going back to work and it should be next June, I want to do everything I possibly can not to go back to work before my baby’s first birthday and I’m just getting anxious thinking about it. Does anybody have any advice on how to get longer time off or anything like that? I envy the people that get to spend a year plus on maternity and I wish my job allowed that but unfortunately it doesn’t. Any advice to an anxious mum to be would be super helpful as this is the first child I’m having :)

What country are you in?

If you’re in the UK, you’re entitled to a year of maternity and you can bolt holiday onto that to make it longer and take it past their first birthday.

I'm confused. why can you only take til June? Due to finances? legally your work can't stop you taking a year off as you are legally entitled to it. And you accrue annual leave whilst off so may be able to add another 6 weeks on that

Yeah I’m the uk, my employer told me that I was only eligible for 9 months and I’ve tried looking into it but I’m just finding it hard to figure out exactly what I get because obviously I would like as much time off as possible x

You're entitled to 52 weeks leave, but only 39 weeks (9 months) paid as a statutory minimum. The remaining 13 weeks are unpaid.

You’re eligible for a year (plus holiday) off. But you won’t get any maternity pay after 9 months, unless you have enhanced mat pay which it sounds like you don’t.

Double check with HR before you panic.

it's a legal requirement to get 52 week maternity leave, but most commonly the last 3 months are unpaid. You should then be able to tag your accrued annual leave on the end. I'm only taking 9 months maternity leave, we can't afford the unpaid part, but I'll then take 7/8 week of annual leave.

Maternity pay and leave: Leave - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

You can legally take a year but you won't receive any income after the first 9 months, so you'll need to work out if your household finances can stretch to you taking more.

Where I live it's actually 6.5 months statutory maternity pay and I'm taking 11 months but we'll be using savings in addition DH's income for the last 5 months, and wearing very tight belts!!

You are legally entitled to 52 weeks off, although some will be unpaid. You are also entitled to the annual leave you accrue while you are off. Some people use this so that they “return” sooner and are paid for the final few weeks, or some tag it on to take them over 12 months, some also use it to return full time and the have 2 days off a week for example so they are paid full time. You can ask for your maternity pay to be averaged over the time you are off as well.

Only 9 months is paid(unless an employer scheme extends it) and enables you to return to the role you currently do. Beyond that you may be offered an alternative, but equivalent, role.

You might only be eligible for 9 months PAID

Legally they have to give you a year AND you accrue annual leave while on maternity.
I took over 13m with both of mine.

Read up properly on this so you know your rights.

But a tldr

1. buy most stuff 2nd hand its way cheaper and means you can fund more unpaid leave / time with baby
2. start mat leave as late as possible (i had 2 days and 4 days off before birth for both of mine)
3. if you are going to switch to Parttime do NOT change your hours u til you go back to work otherwise you get less paid holiday
4. read the gov website and challenge your employer. You have every right to take the full year
5. if you do take more than 26 weeks they can change your job - im paraphrasing but they have to gice you an equivalent job but youay not return to the exact same role after 26weeks

9 months is paid, but it is for the first 26 weeks you are guaranteed the same job. Afterwards it has to be an equivalent job if there have been organisational changes for example.

OP, you say you cannot take more - why? You are entitled to 52 weeks as PP have said.

Best get saving. I did my budgeting to have 13 months off and the night before my first paycheck I had £30 left 😂

Thanks everyone for replying and giving me advice! Greatly appreciate it ! ☺️

You're 100% allowed 12 months off, and you can then add on all the holiday you accrue in that 12 months, so 28 days holiday is the minium, meaning you can have 12 months and 5 weeks 3 days off and they can't say no. The last 3 months of maternity are unpaid, but you'll then get the 5 weeks paid as annual leave.

You've got 5 months - can you try to save to cover those extra 3 months over that time?

Tbh, it's helpful to try to cut down on your spending as it makes the drop in pay less if a dunt.