Maternity leave

[Stellardasher]

Hi!

I had originally informed work I intended to return after around 9 months maternity leave (end February). End of November I asked if I could take 12 months (10 months mat and 2 months holiday). They have said this will make life tricky for the team and leave them in a situation and could I come back earlier.

I’ve been feeling really stressed about it and don’t want to go back before he is one as we had lots of health issues when he was born and feel we’ve only just got into the groove of it not at nearly 7 months. which obviously we could not have foreseen when I was pregnant and they asked me for a return date.

considering I have contacted them nearly 3 months before I was due to go back on the date I originally provided before going on maternity leave am I within my rights to extend it or have I messed it up?

thank you

I googled this. You need to give them eight weeks notice of the change. So eight weeks before end of February. And from what you have said it sounds like you have. Dont be guilt tripped into returning.

Not quite if I have understood the OP correctly - because I gather from the OP that she isn’t just changing her maternity leave dates - she also wants to tag annual leave onto it. So the 8 weeks notice point doesn’t apply to AL, but enough notice was given to extend the maternity leave itself by a month! Which would give a return date of March, whereas OP I think you want May?

They are well within their rights to say no to two solid months of annual leave in one go if it doesn’t work for the business. Usually though IME employees prefer to allow you to tag it on so you don’t end up with a ton of leave to use throughout the year!

Perfect answer

You are entitled to up to 12 months ml but that includes the last three months unpaid. They don't have to allow you to tag AL on as that is no longer ml. Is a phased return from February or March possible, using AL to take a day or two each week.