Changing MAT Leave Start Date

[Udford]

I’m 36+4, due 3rd November and as it stands my last day at work will be 2nd November.

I‘n feeling so overwhelmed and fed up with work. I’ve had a long few weeks of covering for multiple colleagues annual leave and I’m starting to face complications with my pregnancy (Pelvic pain, breach baby, back to back, glucose concerns and jumps in growth). I’ve got to the point where I just want to focus on getting this kid out and nothing else.

I’ve posed the idea of starting my mat leave soon and met with huge hesitancy from my boss and colleagues. They’ve actually said “it would be better for me to go part time rather than stop completely.” It doesn’t work for me as the workload isn’t easing, I’m actually being given more to do and what I have tried to handover has come back…

Any recommendations on how to deal with this or do I just have to suck it up?

Get signed off?

If she gets signed off with a pregnancy related illness right now then her maternity leave would start automatically as she's in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy

Exactly.

Absolutely get signed off and your mat leave will kick in automatically. Health and family trumps work any day.

Yeah get signed off. My son was early and I only had a week off from finishing work to him being born. And I was in labour for 2 days. You're so close to the end now, just start your mat leave and relax. Work can suck it up!

my maternity leave doesn’t start until the week I’m due but I’m taking two weeks holiday before that as you need chance to rest. Can you take some holiday? Otherwise get yourself signed off and start may leave, screw work they’re being ridiculous. These last weeks are hard and you need time to decompress before meeting your baby

I'm due only a few days ahead of you, and I just inadvertently spent the afternoon "at work"... asleep. Unintended, but at least I'm off from the end of the week!

Agree with PP that you should just get yourself signed off the remainder.

If anyone feels sorry for your employer (or mine!), I have been a manager and business owner, and I'd consider myself to be a prime cretin if I weren't prepared for this to happen in the final four weeks of pregnancy.

My line manager hasn't done a handover with me yet - neither my fault or my problem.

Hi.
i would speak to HR for your company, i don’t believe they can refuse to go on Mat leave Aslong as you’ve given them reasonable notice. Have a look on this website

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/maternity-and-parental-rights/check-your-maternity-and-parental-rights/maternity-leave-and-pay/maternity-leave-what-youre-entitled-to-and-how-to-get-it/

hope this helps x

Agree with PPs get signed off