Can I tag all my Holiday/Bnk Hol onto the beginning of my Mat Leave?

[MortifiedAdams]

Due 9th March (tbc at first scan). Holiday year runs jan-Dec and I get 25 days AL plus 8 BH. So, if I take the week preceeding my EDD as ML, can I take the almost seven weeks before that as Holiday/BH?

I only had two weeks off before dd was born but I work mad shift patterns and will have a 2.2yo so thinking the time off beforw baby arrives might be very beneficial!

You can take leave before mat leave, but you must have accrued it already, you can't take BH etc in advance

Ahh okay....but it expires at the end of the year and I am able to take a full year off so would I lose the BHS?

I could and did, if they fell in the holiday year before my mat leave started (mat leave was from July so took the Aug and Christmas BH's in July!)

Where I work we have enhanced Maternity benefits. Our annual leave is calculated the same whilst on maternity leave so we get all our holiday entitlement and bank holidays and we can tag them onto maternity leave. Have you spoken to your HR team? They may be able to help.

Because I am due 2nd January I will be tagging my annual leave onto the end of my maternity leave rather than the start (which HRs preference).

Posted too soon.

And my bank holiday entitlement will be tagged onto the end. We earn annual leave entitlement whilst on maternity leave the same as we would if we weren't on maternity leave. I would recommend you speak with your HR team... Good luck..

hmm....I think I am.only going to take the paid element, so 39wks (no enhanced pay), so maybe I cpuld do AL at the start and BHs at the end?

It depends on your company's policy. I am taking all my holiday and bank holidays in advance. Some people prefer to tack it on to the end. If a non pregnant employee can take holiday they have not accrued, your employer cannot prevent you from doing so as this would be discriminatory.

HMmm thats intetesting - we are allowed to take our BHs up to three months prior/post the actual date (Hotel so noone ever gets the actual day otself off!)

I booked all of my annual leave to come before my baby and then he turned up two weeks early ! Maternity pay starts when the baby is born so all that holiday (and the cash) carries over to next year.

Just be aware of that

Annual leave yes, if you would otherwise lose it.

Bank holidays are a grey area. If they are part of your 28 statutory days leave then they have to let you take them. If you have at least 28 days plus bhols then it depends on how your contract is worded. Can't remember what the exact differences are now but don't be surprised if they don't let you take them at all.