Maternity pay & returning to work, have I made a mistake?

[hummingbirdhm]

Hi all
I’m panicking that I have made a big mistake and I need advice from you.
I am due my first baby in January, so will be working up to Christmas before taking annual leave and then maternity leave.
My boss has agreed that I can return to work in October at 4 days a week (down from 5) and we have even agreed which days they will be.
Have I made a massive mistake in agreeing this? I am only getting SMP so i don’t think it will affect my pay but I am now worried that I have lost 20% of the holiday I would have accrued during my 9 months off? I’m so confused and I can’t seem to find the information I need to clarify? I will be working 5 days a week until Mat Leave.
I am worried because I am relying on the annual leave entitlement accrued on a full time role for me to actually return 3 days a week for the first 3 months. Please help 🙏🏼

Presumably your contract will change from FT to PT when you go back in October, so that's when your holiday accrual will change (rather than changing your contract now)? Make sure you get everything in writing (by email etc)

@hummingbirdhm

Hi all I’m panicking that I have made a big mistake and I need advice from you. I am due my first baby in January, so will be working up to Christmas before taking annual leave and then maternity leave. My boss has agreed that I can return to work in October at 4 days a week (down from 5) and we have even agreed which days they will be. Have I made a massive mistake in agreeing this? I am only getting SMP so i don’t think it will affect my pay but I am now worried that I have lost 20% of the holiday I would have accrued during my 9 months off? I’m so confused and I can’t seem to find the information I need to clarify? I will be working 5 days a week until Mat Leave. I am worried because I am relying on the annual leave entitlement accrued on a full time role for me to actually return 3 days a week for the first 3 months. Please help 🙏🏼

As in, in a year's time you will be coming back to work 4 days a week?

It shouldn't affect your holiday accrual during your maternity leave, no. Just make double sure your contract amendment letter confirming changing your days from 5 to 4 is effective from next October, not now.

Has your manager confirmed that you'll be able to use holiday to return on 3 days a week for 3 months? If not, definitely don't rely on it.

@DaughterX @flowery
Thanks both. Yes it will be from October that I go down to 4 days, I haven’t had an updated contract yet, as I’m new to this I just don’t know the policy or etiquette.
My boss has agreed to using one days holiday per week for my first 12 weeks back, I have that in writing.
So it sounds like I’m okay?

Are you saying between Oct and your maternity leave starting in Dec you'll be working 4 days a week down from 5? If so and this has been done as a flexible working request (i.e perm change to your Ts and Cs, then it would affect your annual leave accrual during maternity.
If you're saying when you go back to work after your maternity leave you'll be changing to 4 days a week then no it won't affect annual leave accrued during maternity leave but how many days AL you have a year will change when you go back.

[quote hummingbirdhm]**@DaughterX* @flowery*
Thanks both. Yes it will be from October that I go down to 4 days, I haven’t had an updated contract yet, as I’m new to this I just don’t know the policy or etiquette.
My boss has agreed to using one days holiday per week for my first 12 weeks back, I have that in writing.
So it sounds like I’m okay?[/quote]
Employers can cancel previously approved annual leave, so it is never completely certain and having it in writing does not change that. However most managers would not want to cancel previously agreed leave and would avoid it if at all possible, as it poor employee relations.

[quote hummingbirdhm]**@DaughterX* @flowery*
Thanks both. Yes it will be from October that I go down to 4 days, I haven’t had an updated contract yet, as I’m new to this I just don’t know the policy or etiquette.
My boss has agreed to using one days holiday per week for my first 12 weeks back, I have that in writing.
So it sounds like I’m okay?[/quote]
Yes. Just make sure you get it in writing and that there is an effective date for the hours reduction of next October.