Maternity leave - when do I need to tell my employer when I plan to return?

[JustbeNormal]

I am 21 weeks pregnant just now, due in October. My boss is telling me that they need to know when I plan to return after mat leave so that they can advertise for my replacement and specify when the fixed term contract will end. I think he's wrong but he keeps saying to me 'how can we hire someone to cover you if we can't tell them how long we need them for?' He keeps saying surely you're taking 9 months? I might! But if we can afford it I will take the full year. Or I might want to come back after 6 months! I don't have to decide this before I go off do I? How do I respond to his point about not being able to give mat cover person an end date? Do temp mat leave cover contracts usually state an end date? Help!

I thought you had to give 4 weeks notice TBH. So four weeks before you plan to go back?

He is supposed to assume that you will take your maximum leave & you have to give 28 days notice if you wish to return sooner.

They have to assume you are taking the full year and if you return before that point you need to give 8 weeks notice of your return date. They shouldn't be asking for a date right now

To get your maternity pay you usually need to give them your MATB1 form by 25 weeks. You'd usually give your dates then of when you plan to go off and come back. You can change it - of course - and you need to give 8 weeks notice if you want to come back earlier/take more time off.

Agree , they should assume a year and you give 28 days notice of your return.

It's 8 weeks notice you need to give if you return early, not 28 days

You don't need to give a return date when giving notice of when you want maternity leave to start.

So if I decide I want to come back after say 6 months and I give 8 weeks notice, what happens to mat leave cover person? Boss is saying if they hire someone on a year contract and I come back early he would end up with 2 people doing the same job? Does anyone know if a mat leave contract specifies an end date or can it just say 'until xxxxx returns'?

That's what the notice period can be used for. The person covering will probably have a notice period worked into their contract for this reason and dependent on your working pattern when you return they may want to keep them on.

I really wouldn't worry, it's his issue to manage not yours. Enjoy your pregnancy and little one when they arrive! As long as you follow the policy that many others have referenced that's your responsibility met.

Yeah you're right, it's his problem really, not mine. He just won't stop going on about it! I will just tell him to assume I'm taking a year and I will give 8 weeks notice if I'm coming back early. I guess he will need to make sure new person's contract is worded appropriately. Thanks for the replies.

He can always put an 8 week notice period into the contract of the maternity cover person