Forgot to tell work when i plan to take my maternity leave. What will happen?

[Sadiee6]

I’m less than 15 weeks away from my due date. My company policy and ACAS say i must notify them of a date i plan to go on maternity. I’ve provided my MatB1 form at 25 weeks form but didn’t set a date!

Is it too late? Will i be declined my enhanced maternity pay?

Have you told them you are pregnant? I think you need to discuss it with them as it is really at their discretion now.

How close are you? Did they ask? What are they like as a company?

I don’t know the official answer, just trying to get a feel for how much of a common approach they would take - my employers would be fine with it. But they’re small, informal tech start ups generally.

Is it too late? Will i be declined my enhanced maternity pay?

you’re going to have to have that conversation with HR asap. At least they know you’re pregnant if you’ve given them your mat1B

I suggest you arrange a meeting with your manager next week to discuss all this.

They’ve known I’m pregnant since I was about 10 weeks. It’s a large national company. I feel like such an idiot!

It will be fine, just do it now :)

This wouldn't have been an issue in my company so long as the had the Mat1B form in time. Hopefully it will be the same for you! Start dates for maternity leave are never set in stone for obvious reasons!

Considering they know you're pregnant and how far along you are, they would have assumed a rough date for you going on maternity.

Sometimes it's very difficult to say in advance. I'd go speak to them immediately.

I doubt it'll be a problem.

I forgot too until about 33 weeks, they knew I was pregnant though as I submitted my MatB form at around 28 weeks.

If you work for a large company they should be fine with dealing with it! I’m 38weeks now so this is extremely recent btw!

My company asked for rough dates when it got to 15 weeks before EDD and I told them roughly but then changed it slightly right up to the end as I had annual leave to use up. It was agreed with my line manager so HR had no issue with it. Also a large national company.

I imagine it’ll be fine. My manager was very casual with my maternity leave I started it on 1st January but I was uncertain for ages whether to go back for a week after the Christmas break or not. I also work for a large organisation - I reckon they’re more lenient as they enhanced maternity pay is less money to them than a smaller company.

But as others have said speak to your manager/HR tomorrow.

I wouldn't worry. With my first they lost my Mat B1 form. They did eventually find it but it was well past the deadline at this point, they clearly hadn't processed anything before then. Where I am, it's up to line managers to inform re. dates so you can be paid accordingly. As long as they are informed well in advance of pay roll (I.e. a couple of weeks before) it is generally fine. People's dates often change anyway if t.ey are ill or baby comes early.

@Sadiee6 submit your application tomorrow, it will be fine.

How did this turn out for you? I'm in the same boat at the moment. I'm 26wks tomorrow and sending the forms off now before midnight so that it's considered my 15th week.... but I don't know if that will work :/ I also feel like an idiot! I set up the forms in Feb/March and then waited for my MATB1 not knowing that i had this deadline.

@Deersthatloveapples the dates are based on SMP criteria and whilst it is helpful to provide the statutory notice it is not a deal breaker. I suspect your employer will be fine, don’t worry.

@Propertylover thank you. I’m hoping it will be fine and think it should be… but it’s written into my policy so I’m nervous of any excuse not to pay out. I’ve worked there for 10yrs so would be gutted if it caused a problem.

@Deersthatloveapples I can assure you it will always be written in policies because it’s a statutory entitlement. Please don’t worry just get your application in today.

Hi @Deersthatloveapples how did this work out for you? I missed my deadline too by a week! Feel so annoyed w myself!!