Teacher maternity leave

[CupcakeParadise]

Had a conversation with my headteacher today about September and that if guidance is still the same then I may not be allowed back in to school or my role will have to change. She then said that if guidance doesn't change (which I know is uncertain at the moment) we may have to discuss when I go on maternity and start it earlier. Its not that I'm not willing to work, I want to work, I want to be there now for God sake and it was her choice to keep me home, but can she force me to change my leave start date due to something out of my control even though I'm willing to work?

I’d get in touch with your union. They can’t force you to start mat leave, earliest they could possibly enforce it is 4 weeks before your due date and that’s only if you’re taking pregnancy related sick leave!

There should be a risk assessment at the time to check risks. They cannot make you take maternity leave. My work tried to do this!! Contact Maternity Action

They can't force you to take maternity leave early, that's discrimination and therefore illegal. By law, if they can't provide a safe environment you have to be either given the option to work from home, or be suspended on full pay. Talk to your union, and get in touch with Pregnant Then Screwed who are at the forefront of the legal guidance and fighting for womens' rights in the work place.

They cannot force you to take your leave early. I would definitely have a chat with your union.

I'm worried about this too as I'm not due until the end of November and I can't really afford to be put on leave early. So far I've been fairly busy at home - I'm a DDSL so been able to do a lot of the safeguarding stuff from home but I dont know how that will be in September.

Please let me know how you get on. From what I've read, the earliest they can 'make' us go on maternity leave is 4 weeks before our due date

Have you or she looked at the government guidance that was released today? It says that anyone in the vulnerable or clinically vulnerable categories can be back at work. HR do still have to risk assess it, so it depends on the specifics of your school and personal medical needs in the event that it's deemed too risky they can put you on paid leave or find appropriate 'safer' duties (e.g. WFH co-ordinating remote learning for students in self-isolation) but it would be illegal for them to force your hand into early Maternity Leave so don't worry about that being a possibility :-)

Contact HR if they've not got hold of you already? I'm a teacher and will be 28 weeks when we return in September. Our Academy HR team have already emailed to say they'll be risk assessing anyone 'vulnerable' in August (because doing it too early is silly when the guidance might change again and the whole-school school plans aren't yet in place).

Thank you all, I didn't feel like it was right as soon as she said this after seeing other threads with similar, couldn't find them though, but wanted to check before disagreeing. I was aware of it being different if having to be off due to pregnancy related sickness but wasn't certain if its down to something such as the current situation. I'm not due to start later in the autumn term but I will contact my union anyway just in case so I'm prepared should it come up again in September

I'm in the same boat but where my school won't allow me in, but I will still work, just from home. They can't tell you to go on maternity early but they can ask you to work remotely without kickstarting your maternity

@EithneBlue that's really helpful, thank you, I'm a few weeks ahead of you as I'll be about 32 by September. I'll contact my union and see what they say, RA's make sense to be done to the end of August though as who knows what can happen between now and then

@CupcakeParadise i actually had an identical meeting today. I’ve been in school for now but I’m 25+1 at the moment and will be 34 weeks at the start of the news term. I’m taking maternity from the start of October and I’ve been told I can choose whatever feels comfortable for me. That she will be guided by me, if I work from home mr maternity will still start on the days I’ve requested - unless of course baby comes early! Your head should be being reasonable about this.

I’m in the same boat. I’ll be 31 weeks in September. My HR delicately approached the conversation when I went in to collect the timetable for my department for me to check. She basically said 2 members of staff who were recently recovering from cancer could go back but I might not be able to and mentioned early maternity Or me even teaching via teams from home with a member of staff in my classroom dealing with behaviour?!?. I got home and was fuming. I looked on RCOG and referenced bullet point 3.3 about me being risk assessed and being found a different role in an email, it’s a health care professional doc but it’s a start. Even though the August info is not definite, she very quickly changed her tone on the email back saying that it’s highly unlikely I won’t be back at work and to not worry. I’ve contacted the union to make them aware that I could be contacting them in August. I personally think they are trying their luck. Keep an eye on guidance. :)

@Prettylittlelady, I’m hoping mine do the same now - fingers crossed! :)

@Rainbowafterthestorm completely agree about trying their luck, it makes me wonder how many think that this is what they have to do and won't challenge it. The head in my school is very money focused and this will be the main concern as I'd need to be covered