Being paid for (a significant amount) of annual leave accrued while signed off work?

[largeprintagathachristie]

Has anyone got experience with what happens to "lost" annual leave if you're signed off work?

I have been signed off since April, so it's a significant period of time and the annual leave remaining for that period to the end of December will be about 20-25 days.

I'm working with occupational health on a phased return from hopefully the end of January.

Work and my HR contact there have been good. Earlier in the year I offered to take some annual leave while signed off and was told no, which I gather is correct; you can't be unfit for work and on annual leave at the same time.
I think HR mentioned then that I could be paid for my annual leave if it came to it.

The money would be amazing, as I've been on half pay and things are now really tight but somehow I feel a bit guilty. But then, women accrue annual leave while on maternity leave, so...

Experiences and knowledge would be welcome.

It's fine and absolutely what is right. Sometimes they'll let you carry leave over to the next year but tbh that doesn't help your employer manage leave and workloads as you'll be off for ages trying to use the leave.

It would be worse to go through your phased return then have to take weeks off on annual just to use it up (if your leave year runs April-March). That would be worse for the company, worse for your colleagues and imo worse for YOU.
Take the money (although keep a couple of days back for domestic emergencies), and look forward to the new leave year with a full allowance.

And look after yourself, 8 months is a long time off for any reason, so take it easy on your return!

Thank you for the reassurance @baublesandbreakdowns and @baublesandbreakdowns

Yes, agree that carrying all the leave over would give me an absurd amount to ‘use up’.

General A/L policy allows 5 days to be carried over (leave year is Jan to Dec). I suspect work might be open to me carrying over, say 10 days in the circumstances. That would be useful for a big overseas trip to see family, assuming I’m fit to fly. Trip was scuppered first by Covid and then by this.

Am yep, am a bit terrified of going back after such a long time, but that’s probably for another thread!

Depends on your work's policy. It will either need to be carried over or paid - you shouldn't lose it.

It is possible to be off sick and on leave at the same time - often holidays can aid recovery. In that case ssp would stop and you'd revert to holiday pay for the period. (The acas website explains more on this)

I'd keep talking to hr and just take the option best for you.

You could use your leave to do a slower phased return to work - I've helped people arrange this on the union side before.

Yes, that always seems the most sensible option to me.

My annual leave was rolled over after a long period of sick leave . I have used it for my phased return allowing a more gradual increase in hours and a longer phased return period, it has been useful. It depends on your reason for being off sick and your health as to whether that would be useful for you. I am managing a new disability and ongoing chronic health condition, so it has worked for me.