Maternity/Annual Leave query

[Scottishmum95]

Hi all,

I’m due DS 17/4/23 and I have a wee question re maternity / annual leave.

I work for a large company and the HR dept if offshore in India, so I can’t call them & they never reply to my email. But just trying to get a feel from other mums! I’ve read my HR notes on Maternity and ACAS online but it’s still a tad unclear.

This is my first pregnancy so got a question;

I am automatically given 23 annual leave days (bank hols given, too). I wanted to take 2 weeks off before my due date (17/04/2023) which is 10 days AL. I’m allowed to carry over, too.

Basically, am I allowed to take 2 weeks holiday and then have my actual maternity pay start on Monday 17th April 2023?

Well aware I may not have actually given birth then and may not for 1/2 weeks after. I find it all very confusing! Still waiting on my mat b1 form, due to get that at next midwife appt on 21/12/22.

thank you!

Yes you are allowed, this is a common set up. Just be aware that if you give birth early your mat leave will automatically start - but then the annual leave carries over to after mat leave.

Yes that’s fine,you will also carry over your bank holidays as well as your normal unused days while you’re on leave

yes it's very common for people to do. i would double check though what would happen to that annual leave if you were to give birth before or during that leave as that would trigger your mat leave to start regardless so check if you can roll it to the end (that's what i did)

Yes I did that as I wanted mat leave to start as late as possible

Yes, absolutely fine to do that.

Just remember that if you're using your accrued A/L & PH to extend your mat leave at the other end that your mat leave doesn't finish on the day you go back to the office, it finishes on the day stated on your agreement - just in case you wanted to apply for flexible working arrangements. Your employer may need longer to sort that out for you.

Yep that’s what I’ll be doing, 2 weeks hol before then start mat pay from due date.
due date is the latest you can start mat pay.
it you have the baby early then they have to let you carry over the unused holiday or pay for you it.

Perfect! Thank you all, much appreciated ❤️