Bank / Public holidays while on maternity leave

[Pam70]

Does anyone know what the position is with regards to accruing Bank or Public Holidays while on maternity leave? I checked with my HR department and was told these weren't accruable whereas another friend has been told it's ok and is planning to accrue all the bank hols over Xmas etc and tag them on to the end of her maternity leave.

Is this an employer-specific thing or is there some legislation regarding this? Obviously I'd like to be able to accrue these!! :-)

i don't think you can accrue them unless there is something your contract of employment to say otherwise - on maternity leave unless your contract says otherwise, you would accrue statutory holiday - and that means they don't have to add bank/public holidays on top.

Hi
I read something in the paper the other day which is part of the new maternity rights saying that ALL holidays are accruable.....

I am a teacher so it is a little bit different for me - but I am going to look into this incase it applies to me too!

Popsycal - if you find a website with more information on this, will you put the link up so I can read more about it too?

Many thanks

cheers

I am accruing bank holidays while on maternity leave - think this is a new thing. Popsycal may be right that we are all entitled now.

Can't find evidence that it applies to everybody, sorry

This is from my maternity leave info (I work for a university):
"When you are on the paid section of your maternity leave, you will have the right to all of the terms and conditions of employment which you would have had if you had been at work throughout the period of absence. For example, your holidays (including fixed days and bank holidays) will accrue during the first 26 weeks of maternity leave."

it is a new thing!
my dad gave me a newspaper cutting about it but can I find it!!!

I think under the legislation full-time workers are meant to get a minimum of 20 days' holiday per year but in mean old UK this includes bank holidays - there is no statutory entitlement to paid leave for public holidays (unlike in some other EU countries). If your company gives you more than the legal minimum anyway, it's up to the maternity policy of the company but it's unlikely they will allow you to accrue bank holidays as well. See here for example and here