Does this look bad?

[user1485778793]

I'm going back to work next month, I'm ending my maternity leave early. I could stay off until June but I'm pregnant again and cannot afford to have 2 maternity leaves back to back.

If you were my employer would you be annoyed? I'll be going back for 3 months then off for a year.

YellowMakesMeSmile - do employers really favour employing men over women?! I’ve sat on recruitment panels many time and the sex/age/marital status has never come up when we moderate after.

I'm back for 6 months between mine. Noone gives a shit and has been really congratulatory. Which is why I'm really glad I work in hospitality sometimes!

Having a family is not morally wrong. Morally wrong is big businesses not paying their taxes, unfair working practices etc.

I’m sure OP has paid thousands of pounds in taxes and will continue to work for the next 30 years!

I cant actually believe someone has put on a parenting website that utilising maternity leave is morally wrong.

Hello,

I'm doing exactly this and my employer could not be nicer, I gave them plenty of notice and they have extended the contract of my maternity cover replacement and I'm going back for 3 months as an odd job person! No problems

pastabest I think the issue is more that OP is going back for three months to ensure a second lot of mat pay, and is then intending to leave - it's a bit 'working the system' hence the probable negativity from colleagues and employers.

OP - you're entitled to what you are entitled to.

Yes, your employers and colleagues will more than likely be annoyed; you can't change that anymore than you can change your situation though, so no point fretting.

Good luck with your pregnancy.

At the end of the day family comes first. A job is a job and you are doing nothing wrong.

Taking maternity leave is not morally wrong but going back early just to take the companies maternity pay yet again knowing you aren't returning is morally wrong to me. It's a selfish move.

They might not be delighted but it’s tough luck really. You plan your family round you and your partners wishes not to suit your employers.

Congrats x

I'm not doing anything morally wrong!

If I decide not to go back I'll tell my employer straight away. No point in saying anything yet

But its the public sector Yellow. If she doesn't go back after maternity leave she will most likely have to pay back any enhanced maternity pay (i.e anything over statutory) anyway.

Outside of the public sector companies are entitled to only offer SMP as their maternity package, so if they choose to offer EMP then presumably they have decided that it is an affordable benefit they can offer? Most companies also attach conditions like you have to go back after maternity leave for a certain period of time to retain the EMP payment. If they don't that is their choice. No one is forcing companies to offer EMP.

I don't see how operating within the rules of a defined system is morally wrong.

plus what the OP is actually saying is that she can't afford to have two periods of maternity leave back to back, she has to go back to work to earn money to live off in between them, its not just about 'scamming' some maternity pay that she is entitled to anyway.

Again, how is it any different to a woman leaving a year between maternity leaves and then deciding not to come back after the second one. I don't see why the time in between them makes any difference whether its 3 months or 3 years?

OP, I did exactly this. I had a year off on maternity leave, got pregnant again more quickly than I expected, and went back to work when I was five months pregnant.

The conversation with my employer (public sector) was a little awkward but there was nothing they could say really.

I worked for three months then had another year off on maternity leave as I was entitled to do.

I didn't feel the least bit guilty either, and when the opportunity to volunteer for redundancy arose just when I was due to go back I grabbed it with both hands.

I agree pastabest

Even if I was back at work the beginning of this pregnancy I wouldn't have been able to work as I've had hypermesis even worse this time.