Maternity leave & bank hols query

[Messing]

Hi, not sure if this is in the right section; sorry it's a bit wordy:

I am currently on mat. leave, baby due early Jan 2010. The HR department of the organisation I work for is somewhat disorganised (to say the least) and I actually ended up working out my maternity leave entitlement myself and explaining it to them, as they didn't seem to fully understand it!

It has just occurred to me, however, that when I worked out the leave I didn't take into account any bank hols or any days when the office would be closed (eg 3 days between Xmas and New Year). I have worked out that in total this would give me an extra 1.5 weeks off.

So my question is: given that all the dates have been worked out and HR are happy with them, is it best not to rock the boat and just forget about the extra days?
Or should I inform them and change my maternity leave to end 1.5 weeks earlier than originally planned (and presumably still get the extra 1.5 weeks off at the end of it).

Any comments welcome.... thanks in advance!

You're probably entitled to them as hols in your employment contract - check your contract to confirm this. If so, you can either take them as hols when you return or receive pay in lieu.

My employer is paying me for the bank hols that I miss when I go on maternity leave, but I'm keeping the hols for after I return.

Not sure about the situation when the office is closed - this will probably depend on whether you would normally be required to take holiday for those days, in which case they should pay you in lieu of them.

I certainly wouldn't ignore them. I'm not sure how everyone is with public holidays but my company (local government) allow you the extra days at the end, or in my case I used them and my holidays to do a 3 day week for 3 months when I returned, easing me back to work gently!

But the days between xmas and new year are surely your annual leave entitlement so you should get them back.

With my employer (local government again), you accrue them as normal during your maternity leave, but you can't take them when you come back (like Lola) - they pay you for them, apparently.

This is different to our policy on holiday, where you can either take it when you come back, or get paid for it.

I'd definitely mention it to the HR dept as you should get either extra pay or extra time off.

I accrue them and added them on to the end of mat leave to give me a little longer.

I did the same as Chynah

Check the policy (assuming you have one!).

In my company (private industry) Bank Hols /Christmas shut down days do not count towards mat leave.

I would def tell HR them and find out what options you have in taking them now or after you work and are entitled so take what you deserve. My HR was so rubbish and even on last day was working out own leave dates!
Good luck -Missing you should join us on the jan 2010 thread!

They have to count them - it's the law

Have a look at this thread.

Thanks all for the responses - useful info. I will get in touch with my HR dept today. I just wish they weren't so useless, and it wasn't me that had to do their job for them.

Mama2b5 - I've been lurking on the Jan 2010 thread, but haven't got round to posting (yet)!

Ahhhh missing- when you feel like it join us we are a nice bunch and are all getting ready for our babies!

You should check your HR policy. I'm a civil servant and in our staff regulations it says that bank holidays and other office closing days do not result in additional maternity leave days. So, in other words I miss out on them. Shame really, as DS is due on Good Friday, so I'll miss out on about 1.5 weeks' worth of holidays and closing days in total...

Please ignore what I said earlier. Just had my maternity interview for DC2 and Bank Holidays are now included in our holiday allowance. Change of policy since 2006.