Hi all, I'm looking for advice on an issue related to secondment and maternity and I'm hoping someone here might have an answer or advice that will help!
I applied for secondment this summer 2024 and I was refused leave by principal/board of management. I was very disappointed as it was an opportunity I was thrilled to be offered for reasons including, career progression and salary increase due to secondment allowance. The refusal to let me leave was cited as teacher shortages, although the school never advertised my post or made any serious effort to fill the role.
My principal told me that he would allow me to leave at the end of the year so I could start the secondment in 2025, however, I have found out that I am pregnant and all going well, I will going on maternity leave in June 2025. Therefore, I would be unable to start my secondment until after this time. This is also provided the organisation can offer me a role as it is not garunteed they will want me to start after my maternity leave some time in 2026.
The principal vaguely said they could possibly let me leave in February 2025 to start the secondment during the later half of this school year. I am now wondering if I should push for this so that I will be in the my seconded post before I go on maternity leave and therefore will be entitled to the secondment allowance (approximately 400-450 a month) for the duration of mat leave. Or, if I am better off staying in school for mat leave?
I discussed this quickly with my principal who told me that I would be crazy to leave the school before going on Mat leave as my rights would be completely different on secondment and that I wouldn't be entitled to the length of time off that I would get in school. He said that the school can facilitate up to a year off paid (which I don't believe as from what I can see, you must take unpaid leave after your statutory 6 months?) and that the secondment organisation will only offer me the statutory Mat leave.
I'm sorry for the length of this post, I'm not sure if anyone will bother reading it. However, I'm struggling to decide what to do and as it is early in my pregnancy, I feel I can not ask people openly for advice.
I would greatly appreciate any insight and sincerely thank anyone who can offer any advice on this issue!