Annual leave 9 weeks before due date

[Honeycomb245]

Seeking opinions/ experience....my leave year runs April-April (gov job) and baby is due at the end of May. My boss has asked that I take all my 2024 annual leave/BH allowance before maternity leave starts, leaving me at home doing nothing for 9ish weeks before baby arrives (assuming they're on due date!).

Is it unreasonable to want to carry 50% leave to use after maternity leave ends? It seems a waste of time being home alone all those weeks before, when the time could be spent with my baby after. Thanks for any opinions/ advice.

I think I must be missing something, but surely you can only use leave you've already accrued before you go on mat leave. Is your manager asking you to take all the leave you will accrue while you're off? My understanding (at least from my work's policy) is that they can ask you to take your accrued leave prior to mat leave, but you then take the AL you accrue during mat leave at the end. Clutching at straws, but could it be that HR think you have asked something different to what your manager is asking for?

@Honeycomb245 is entitled to 52 weeks ML so she will accrue leave over that time. Her workplace can ask her to take that leave in advance.

This actually makes me really cross, it's a ridiculous policy (and I work in HR). I'd email HR and ask them if they can point you in the direction of the policy/contract clause that confirms that they can ask you to take a full year's annual leave prior to the commencement of your mat leave. I'd also ask in what other circumstances, unrelated to maternity or adoption leave, that they specify a whole year's leave must be taken e.g. does it apply ahead of a long-term planned sickness absence. Furthermore, I'd ask the rationale behind the policy, and why they will not permit you to take your annual leave at the end of your maternity leave, as would be the case if your maternity leave started before the new holiday year and as outlined in your maternity policy.

If they won't budge after that and there isn't a clear written policy, I'd follow up with the ACAS guidance that allows them to dictate when you take statutory leave, and request that you carry forward your enhanced leave.

Sorry, I'm only really repeating what others (and myself) have said previously, but I'm just so cross for you. I'd never stand for such a policy to be introduced in my workplace (thankfully senior enough to have a strong say).

I know you are planning to take a year for maternity leave, but you don't have to! I only took 8 months with my first, if I'd had to use all of my annual leave before then I'd have been screwed for taking leave at Christmas etc. Have they considered it from this angle?

Even if you are initially planning to take the 12 months things can change in that time which mean you might decide to curtail your leave early. I'd approach it from that angle with HR/your manager and ask what they'd expect you to do in that scenario.

That's a very good point - you don't actually have to commit to a firm return date at this stage. What if you end up deciding to go back after 6 months but have already used up all your annual leave? Could you float this possibility with HR?

Excellent point by @cheesychips15

In theory you could say you're not planning to use 6 months. Another reason why the policy is ridiculous.