Hoping for HR advice - delaying return to work

[MusicMother]

Hi all,

I'm hoping for some advice as I want to ask for to delay my return to work but don't want to come across as cheeky to my employer. I'll try and explain things well but find it all a bit confusing!

I'm due to return from mat leave during the summer holidays (teacher) but had planned to resign. Covid struck and it didn't seem like a good move so I missed the resignation deadline. I'm now hoping to ask to delay my return until January through a combination of parental leave and other unpaid leave. As things stand, I'm due some money for untaken annual leave this year which will be very helpful. My two questions are:

1. Is it cheeky to ask for unpaid leave? Perhaps I should be asking to not be paid the AL days and use them next year instead? Don't even know if this is possible, sorry.

1. Do I ask for my new leave to start directly at the end of mat leave (i.e. in the middle of the holidays) or is it ok to ask for it to start on the first day of the new term? Again, don't want to be seen as being cheeky but nor do I want to deliberately not take money that is due as it's our only income for now.

I'd be so grateful for any clear-headed advice - not exactly understanding this very well!

Thanks

Are you in Scotland?

1. It’s not cheeky to ask. If you propose to take up to four weeks parental leave they can postpone it but only if they can demonstrate severe disruption to the organisation which is unlikely as you’re already off. In terms of other unpaid leave, that is entirely up to them and they can of course refuse.

1. Ask for whatever you want. It’s a well known perk of taking maternity leave as a teacher that if you time it right, you can ‘return to work’ without having to actually come back for a while. However they may be more likely to agree it starting immediately afterwards rather than you coming ‘back’ to work and then going off again.

Yes Freddiethedog, in Scotland. Sorry for the slow reply, didn't see that anyone had commented!

Thanks flowery, I'm so anxious about annoying them by asking so it's great to hear that it doesn't seem to cheeky. I'd ask for 8 weeks parental leave as we have 2DC, that would give me a half term even if they say no to the longer leave. Thank you for your help