Hi everyone, looking to see if anyone has any advice or maybe have a clue where I can seek advice!
I’m currently 26 weeks pregnant, I’m working for a private care home. Due to some complications with this pregnancy and having a planned section date (39 weeks), and a two year old at home, my current plan is to stop work at 33.5 weeks, take three weeks annual leave (so I will have taken all my annual leave entitlement for the year) before going on maternity leave officially at 36.5 weeks. I’ve had this plan since about 5 weeks pregnant! I’m due my section on the 21st of October (although I was diagnosed with gestational hypertension this week in addition to some other complications and so I’m aware baby may come sooner than planned). The company I work for has however has been hinting at a possible take over is imminent- we know something is happening, that our job roles will still exist but that they can’t say anything until everything is signed and dealt with legally but that it’s heavily hinted at a take over. We were supposed to be told this week but we haven’t been.
My question is, what happens with my annual leave if I take my full years entitlement before going on Mat leave (holiday year is beginning of April to end of March each year) and then the company is taken over? If my current company pay me the whole years leave before me going on maternity leave (I wouldn’t be due back until next October as I’m taking the full year), am I going to end up owing them pay if they are taken over in say December time? If I cancel my holidays do the new company then owe me those holidays to be rolled over to next year or do I loose them? I can’t ask HR until we get the news officially but I’m just trying to figure everything out and I’m starting to stress about it all to be completely honest. I don’t want to end up owing my current company money, nor do I want to loose my holidays. Also I would have enough notice now to bring my maternity leave start date forward if I changed it now (28 days notice) and really I feel like I need to finish early this time due to the complications I’ve had this pregnancy and so I don’t think it’s an option for me to work until 36 weeks so if I’m going to loose holidays then I would bring my maternity leave start date forward to 34 weeks so I need to let my work know ASAP.
Any insight would be really appreciated!
Thanks