Annual leave and mat pay

[jinglebellz]

I was hoping someone may have experience of this. Work want me to take all my AL (5 weeks) before mat leave. However, I only plan to take 6 months off, and would be returning 4 months before the holiday year ends. I would like to take all my AL after the mat leave, meaning I still get 5 weeks full pay, but then it would be with baby instead of before baby. Seems like a no brainer to me.

Work are trying to insist otherwise though, but I really don't want to be twiddling my thumbs for 5 weeks (and maybe another two if baby is late) before baby comes!

Has anyone else come across this before, and managed to convince work to let them have it at the end?

My work say you have to take your holiday in the holiday year (however that runs for you) but if that's before or after the leave that doesn't matter so long as it's within the holiday year.

I'm pretty sure your employer can't force you to take annual leave before your mat leave. Read up on gov website, but I'm near sure you accrue your annual leave when on maternity and can then take it after. But making an employee take it all straight before so you don't have any to carry over doesn't seem right to me..

As others have said, don’t think any employer can force you to take it unless it’s outside of the holiday year.
And remember, you accrue holiday whilst on mat leave also

My contract states I have to take annual leave already accrued that holiday year before I go on maternity. It may be down to companies own policy so maybe double check.

Check your companies policy. I have to take my annual leave within the annual leave year.. so ours runs from Jan -Dec so I have to take it all during that time, so either before or after!

This pregnancy, I’m only taking 9months actual mat leave & I’m due in March. So taking two weeks in Feb & the whole of December as annual leave.

Last pregnancy, I took a full 12 months mat leave & I was due in May. So I had no choice but to take my all 5 weeks before my mat leave kicked in.

Would you employer normally let you take all your leave at once? Because if they would, then why should mat leave make any difference?
(Mine only lets us take 2 weeks without particular arrangements).