Holiday, mat leave and stopping work

[ivanapoo]

Sure this will have been answered before so sorry to ask but search doesn't seem to be bringing anything up.

I have a few weeks holiday left, baby due in Dec. in a few weeks' time I'll need to tell my employer I'm pregnant and the date I want to start leave.

I was planning to tack any remaining holiday onto the start of leave, but what happens if the baby comes early? Will I have to start my mat leave from that day, and if yes what happens to my unused holiday? I'm guessing I'll just lose it?

I don't want to work right up to the wire but equally don't want to lose my holiday. (I was planning to start mat leave at 38 weeks but take holiday from 36.)

Equally if the baby is late, will I go crazy with 6 weeks off beforehand?

Thanks for your advice.

I've been wondering the same thing and was thinking of posting a similar thread.
I'm due late November, I've currently 4 weeks holiday left but plan on using at least a week of that beforehand so I'll 2-3 weeks to add on to may leave.

If the baby comes early then yes you automatically start mat leave and holiday will be lost, unless you have a nice company that will roll it over for you.

I'm planning similar to you, mat leave starting at 38 weeks with holiday starting at 35 or 36 weeks. If I've any hol left I may do 4 day weeks for a few weeks. But if I go in to labour before weeks I'm stuffed. But then I'd rather my mat leave lasted longer once that baby's here.

What I'm trying to say in my rambling is I'm thinking similar to you but would be good to get other peoples opinions.

One thing I'm worried about is if my SPD gets worse and I have to start even earlier

Mat leave starts automatically the day after baby is born, in terms of holiday you still accrue this whilst on mat leave, i took my years entitlement before my mat leave started however if babies came early mat leave would start and holiday would be paid to me at the end of the holiday year, bank holidays are also accrued and these are also paid at the end of the holiday year. check with your hr department to check how it works with your employer, hope this helps :)

Hmm it's a tricky one isn't it. Think I will maybe save 1 week of hols and maybe use the rest to go down to 3/4 days p w for the month before that instead... I don't think my employer would let me carry over.

Thanks goingmad

I've had to use up all my holidays on school holidays so will be starting mat leave when I'm 35 weeks. I'm in quite an active role with loads of driving so don't really think I can manage beyond that to be honest. Last time I finished at 38 weeks but was doing an office job and really could have done the extra week before I gave birth. Depends on your job really.

Shellybobs I'm exactly the same as u I've used all my holiday for the kids half terms and I'm leaving Friday (35 weeks) also drive a lot and job is really physical I can't go on any more .

Thanks. That's good to know you can work to 38 ok. I have to drive approx 4 hours a day (commute) once a week or poss twice, is this likely to become a problem when I'm heavily preg or are you talking about more driving than that?

I don't know how true it is but I've heard that if you've made a "reasonable" attempt to take all remaining holiday before the end of the holiday year but are prevented from doing so for reasons beyond your control then an employer should roll them over/pay you for them. If they refuse to do so in the event of an early birth it could be seen as discriminatory.

Would be good if anyone out there with hr knowledge could confirm or deny this one (another one here worried about an early baby pinching my holiday!)

Yes it seems a bit tight that if baby arrives early you just forfeit the holiday - although I think goingmad said you should at least get paid for it instead.

My understanding is that you are entitled to your holidays so you should either get paid or be allowed to carry it onto next year, i would say they are discriminating if they don't allow you one or the other my company does not allow you to carry it over in any circumstance which is why they pay us, when i went on mat leave previously with ds i was allowed to take the bh before mat leave but this time i have to be paid for them, im pg with twins so was keen to finish early my mat leave started last Monday but i finished work 6 weeks ago maybe post something on the legal work matters chat room??