When to hand in notice at work

[Flossie333]

Morning all- hoping someone out there has had a similar experience to me and will be able to offer some insight! I have been working in the same company for 5 years, and although I will be going back to work after my maternity leave, I know I don't want to go back to the company I now work for.

My company offers statutory maternity. My husband works for a company who offer a very generous shared parental leave package, and so hopefully he is going to take 3 months off when the baby is about 5 months.

I need to fill in a tonne of forms to state our plans, but what I want to get thoughts on is when to hand my notice in. I don't really want to hand my notice in before I start my maternity (for various complicated reasons), and I also don't want to jeopardise my husbands shared parental..... I find it all so confusing.

For info, I am due early sept and am going off mid August. Husband hoping to take leave from mid feb for three months.

Thank you! X

Your notice period is the same as your contractual notice. So if it's a month for example you would hand it in a month before the end of your mat leave.

Complete all forms on the basis of you returning to this company after Maternity Leave.

It's allowed for your husband to take his shared parental leave overlapping with your own leave, so state that you plan to return after 9 months, and his 3 months will overlap with the last 3 of these.

Then hand in your notice to coincide with your standard contractual notice period before the end of those 9 months.

NB don't forget your 10 KIT days - don't take any during the first 6 weeks when your pay is at 90% of normal, but after that for the next 20 weeks, try to find a way to work one day per fortnight (if you have someone who can look after the baby for you) as those 10 days have to be paid at your full pay rate which can make a big difference to your income assuming you normally earn a lot more than SMP per week.

Thank you both so much- so helpful xxxxx

Yup, however much notice you need before you're due to go back.

So I took a year mat leave due back in September and gave notice in the August (they knew it was coming though, I hadn't used my KIT days and they'd done me a reference for my PGCE!)