Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Original poster

NHS maternity

15 replies

GREE30 · 10/01/2023 19:10

Hi, I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice re maternity in NHS. I am currently on maternity and am taking 52 weeks. I am currently 9 months. Due to childcare I may not be able to return. I am trying to figure out how I can not return but not pay back my maternity. I know there is a three month return in the contract or something? I have accrued annual leave approx 7 weeks. If I hand my notice in now for three months, as it is still in my maternity year.. will I have to pay back my maternity? Does this make sense. Any advice welcome!! Thank you!! Xx

OP posts:
mummabubs · 10/01/2023 19:13

Hi, I'm an NHS employee and have taken mat leave twice. You'd have to make up the three months either in annual leave or by returning to work. Unfortunately you can't use your mat leave as notice I think as the condition is you have to return to work in the NHS for three months minimum after your mat leave ends, but maybe double check with HR?

bumpyknuckles · 10/01/2023 19:15

Technically you should repay your maternity money, but in reality most employers won't bother chasing you for it. Take your annual leave and request unpaid leave for the rest. And grovel a bit to your manager to get it signed off.

bumpyknuckles · 10/01/2023 19:24

Also, make sure you speak to your manager about it at an early point. They won't want to lose you so will probably offer some help - mat leave can be extended and parental leave added on. You can also take a sabbatical. I wouldn't give up my career unless I'd explored all the other options.

Maryandherlamb · 10/01/2023 19:30

You'd have to use 7 weeks annual leave and then make up the rest at work. OR you could ask to drop to as part time as possible, starting as soon as you go back, and try to use your full time annual leave against your part time hours.

Original poster
GREE30 · 11/01/2023 08:47

Thank you all for commenting.
yes feeling more positive going into work to speak to my manager. Will also contact HR.
thanks xx

OP posts:
Princessglittery · 11/01/2023 12:22

If you have to work 13 weeks and have 7 weeks as annual leave use the leave carefully to minimise working days. Not sure if you are 9-5 or shift worker and whether or not it includes or excludes BH.

9-5 you have 7 weeks leave = 35 days and 13 weeks to work = 65 days - 35 days leave = 30 days / 13 = 2.3 working days each week so depending on what child care you can get maybe work 3 days one week and 2 the next etc or do full weeks. If this doesn’t include BH look very carefully at when they fall as there are 5 in April & May and count as working days. Hope that makes sense.

Rather than resigning can you apply for a career break?

Freddiesmummy1 · 18/02/2023 07:06

Hello!

I'm in the same situation as you, just wondered how the chats went?

I have aN 8 month old who is v. Reliant on me. Breastfeeding like a newborn still and he won't take bottles cups or anything and I also don't respond to pumps very well. I've made the decision re childcare too that I won't be returnIng to work In June.

I am trying to figure out what's best to do and how to avoid paying the full OM back. I don't mind paying some but all is just outrageous if I'm completely honest as I never really knew this would be the situation I am in.

Thanks x

Americansmoothy · 18/02/2023 09:15

@Freddiesmummy1 sorry you are in this position, hope things improve in the next few months.

It is not outrageous that your employer wants you to return to work for 3 months. I accept no one knows what the situation will be at the end of mat leave but your employer in good faith gave you occupational maternity pay and in return they put a requirement that you must return to work for 3 months. It is not an unreasonable requirement as they were upfront and you could have chosen to just have SMP.

You already know how much babies change in a month, so you could be in a different situation by May. You are being sensible thinking about this now. My advice is contact HR now and talk through options such as using accrue annual leave (5.6 weeks at least), using unpaid parental leave to extend return to work date, a career break etc.

One trick may be to go part time as your annual leave was accrued full time it will go further e.g 5.6 weeks x 37.5 hours = 207.2 hours. 13 weeks @ at 21.5 hours = 279.5 hours -207.2 = 72.3 hours.

My advice talk to HR now as they will know all the options to help you.

Original poster
GREE30 · 18/02/2023 10:51

Hi @Freddiesmummy1
so I spoke to HR. Three months is in the NHS maternity contract. So I’m taking 52 weeks maternity then I’m back at work but taking 7 weeks annual leave that I accrued when I was on maternity which leaves me 5 weeks. So I’ve reduced my hours encase I have to go back for those 5 weeks. I’m then taking a week annual leave that I’ve accrued from being technically back in work and then I’m hoping to take parental leave for 4 weeks which leads me to 3 months. However if anything changes I will return on my reduced hours.
hope this makes sense. And I’ve not fully asked for parental leave yet. Hr said I return to work for three months but having annual leave and parental is still returning so would be fine and covers the maternity leave I took. They were pretty good really. Hope this helps. I can’t believe that they don’t have people not going back after maternity as things change so much within that time. I feel like im ending my maternity with so much anxiety over what to do as I didn’t think this was going to happen but it’s looking like it’s pretty impossible for me to return to work at this time x

OP posts:
BannMan · 18/02/2023 10:58

I can’t believe that they don’t have people not going back after maternity as things change so much within that time

There's plenty people don't return to work in NHS after maternity leave for various reasons, I've worked with several over the years.
But they understand that occupational maternity pay is conditional on them returning for 3 months. So those that are in doubt ringfence that part of their maternity pay so they are able to pay it back.

Original poster
GREE30 · 18/02/2023 13:27

You really did take that out of context.
But a lot of people intend to go back when they take their maternity so they don’t really think about what they should do if they can’t. I certainly didn’t!
At 9 months after I took annual leave I was faced with a decision that I don’t think I can return unfortunately so I was abit late in ringfacing that part of my maternity pay as it has been a decision out of my control.

the NHS should have this clause and there should also be ways that mothers / families especially single parents should be able to find a way to find a way that helps them when they may have to leave after.

OP posts:
Original poster
GREE30 · 18/02/2023 13:29

I also understood that I would have to return for three months!! As I intended to do!

OP posts:
Bundee · 08/01/2024 19:28

Hi! Did this work out for you - taking the mat leave and then adding annual leave and parental leave as your 3 month 'return to work period' or did they make you pay back the occupational maternity pay? Xx

Potatomashed · 10/02/2024 23:48

Bundee · 08/01/2024 19:28

Hi! Did this work out for you - taking the mat leave and then adding annual leave and parental leave as your 3 month 'return to work period' or did they make you pay back the occupational maternity pay? Xx

I’d love to know this too OP! Please update us. Hope it’s all going okay for you

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 10/02/2024 23:52

You can ask to return one day a week and then use your annual leave to cover this day?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread