Accrued holiday during maternity leave

[Bettybecks12]

Hi all, despite working for a global company, I'm finding it impossible to get a clear answer from them around when I need / can take my annual holiday I accrue during my maternity leave. I'm planning to take my leave not necessarily at the start or the end of my maternity leave but I'd like to take some AFTER I return in July next year. So basically, I'd still like to have a week in September or at Christmas next year to take, for example. I'm starting maternity leave in July this year and will have around 40 accrued days at the end of my maternity leave. Can someone tell me what my employer can and can't ask of me? Of course they want me to take the holiday days right around my maternity leave but as I said, I'd like to keep some for later on in the year (next year). What's the situation? Many thanks.

I thought it had to be added onto the end of your maternity leave or taken before you start maternity, I have never known anyone take it after they had started back, but I could well be wrong.

I think you have to take it within the year you go back. Holiday accrued in one year can be carried over into the next year due to maternity, but cannot be carried over into another year.
Just the same you probably can't carry it over from year to year without maternity.
Also 40 days?! That's loads! I only get 28 haha.

Also congrats!

When does your holiday year run from/to? I don’t think they can make you take the holiday days if they’re still going to be for the current year when you return to work. But the ones which may have ‘expired’ while you were on maternity leave I think you probably have to take around your maternity leave. Not 100% sure tho

Thanks for the responses - our holiday year runs from Jan - Dec and although I'm not getting 40 days holiday a year, by the time I end my maternity leave in July next year, I will have around 40 accrued days including all the bank holidays....any advice is appreciated. Many thanks.

Your employer is perfectly free to specify when you take annual leave. Most employers will want you to tag it straight onto your mat leave to avoid further disruption by you returning and then going off again on leave.

My employer had a rule that carried over leave (any leave carried over for any reason, including maternity) needs to be taken within 3 months of the start of the holiday year.

They also wanted all leave to be taken prior to maternity leave starting, and needed a good reason to allow it to be carried over. Though starting maternity leave a month into the holiday year was a good enough excuse not to be able to take my leave.