Maternity holiday accrued

[Gemd81]

Hello,
I have just gone back after a years maternity to 5 wks accrued maternity holiday so requested I have Fridays off for sept to nov the rest of the time is taken over Xmas and ed August which has been agreed but the Fridays off for 3 months sept to nov has gone done like a lead balloon with petty boss sayIng I am putting pressure on my colleage who may I add spends all day on facebook! Can work make me take this maternity holiday when they want, I am makin my daughter part time at nursery and saying I have to be there for those Fridays for that and my
Parents can only cover dec Fridays.

My work also tried to make me carry it over and pay me the holiday whih I have both said no to. They are not being very family friendly frustrating thing is the job is not demanding so I would not feel stretched missing Fridays as I have gone back to a crafty demotion too!
Any advice appreciated.

Not sure of the legalities but places I have worked have made the returning staff member stay off work a month longer to use up their leave. I think it is a little unreasonable to expect to return to work essentially part time but without knowing the size of your company, their finances etc it's a bit hard to judge. A big company should be able to accommodate this but might not want to set a precedent. However any sized company should really not have left it until you returned to discuss it, it should have been sorted out and agreed before you went back. Good luck

I was told as I was off for a year I'd lost my holiday accrued! Have I been done over?!

Blastoff that sounds very dodgy! You should still accrue AL, be included in bonuses, all that stuff because you are still employed during that year (provided you're a permanent staff member)

Yes I think so too. I've been back at work a couple of months now though and am worried its too late. At the time I was stressed because I went back later than I'd said, and so they were irritated with me and made it all very difficult. Sorry for the thread hi-jack!

Blastoff the law is slightly confusing in that when you are on maternity leave you continue to accrue holiday which you can take after maternity leave. However. There is no obligation on your employer to require them to allow you to carry over your accrues holiday from one holiday year to another - the law is silent on this point and it hasn't yet been tested in court. Best practice is for them to allow you to carry it over and for them to allow you to take it after the end of your maternity leave.

Gemd81 yes your employer can certainly refuse your request to reduce your hours by spreading out your holiday, the same as they can refuse any holiday request you make if it isn't convenient. Most employers would prefer employees to take holiday accrued during maternity leave in one block to get it out of the way, otherwise there is just too much.

Have you put in a flexible working request to reduce your hours properly to four days a week, if you don't want your daughter in childcare full time?

Well finally got the Fridays off for 3 months I wanted and the maternity policy changed - now they know they need to agree time off before you come back especially if they r going t be unreasonable about it.
They now agree Fridays are less impact to the business than me takin blocks of weeks together!