Length of Maternity leave

[Deanthescream]

When your employer asked you how long you intended to take as maternity leave, what did you answer?

I really don’t know how much time I will take off - it depends how I feel about maternity leave to be honest. Financially, I am in a position to take the whole year off, but I may be keen to return earlier.

I have to give 10 weeks notice to change my return to work date. Would you say that you want to take the full year off, then if you start getting fed up, give them 10 weeks notice and go back early? Or would you say less time, then give 10 weeks notice and push it back?

thank you

I'm due to go on maternity leave in March.

My employer has assumed I'll take the full year, and I can notify if I want to return sooner.

I've let my boss know I'm planning to take 6 months then return on part time basis for 3 months (using annual leave I've accrued). But this is just informal and he still has to plan for a year.

I got put forward for a promotion after telling my boss I'm pregnant and recieved the promotion last year. In my company the view that pregnant women/those that are on maternity don't get promotions is outdated.

I always put in for the full year with my 2 but when they were both born did shared parental leave with my husband at the end so officially went back to work at 9 months. With accrued leave however I wasn't actually back working til closer 12 months. Although I didn't take any mat leave prior to them being born and went into labour both times whilst working! 😂

Ì asked for full year woth accrued holiday at.the end (13m)
This allowed my boss to hire a 12m temp

In the end i used the full 13m both times.
If its an office role / sedantary I'd work as close to due date as you can i know women who wasted 4/5 weeks sat around and they regreted it a year later.

I went on mat leave 1 week before with first and 1 day before second.

What I would say is that anything can change. A rather extreme example, but I was due to take 9 months with DD, with DH taking the final three months. And then... Covid hit! We were coming out of lockdown when I was due to go back to work and I felt wildly annoyed that my whole mat leave had been stuck in the house or doing socially distanced walks. I wanted to go to a baby group and go for a coffee after! So I wound up taking the whole 12 months.

Conversely, I was planning on taking 9 months with DS, and DH doing 3 months, and then he got made redundant, so I went back at 6 months.

I think that's why employers plan for 12 months - anything can happen!