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Original poster

Is it an unwritten rule that you don’t take the annual leave you accrue on maternity leave?

86 replies

ForSnugLimeExpert · 23/02/2025 10:56

I will preface by saying I do sometimes struggle with understanding unspoken rules or to recognise when people don’t mean what they say.

I came back from maternity leave towards the end last year, and asked HR if it was possible to carry over the leave until this year. I also asked my manager if he had a preference for how I took the leave, and he said, no, to take it however I wanted. I had also asked this before I went on leave and got the same response.

So I didn’t take any leave last year as I wanted to hit the ground running a bit, and instead have asked to take every Friday off for a while. My manager approved this, all good, and I’ve enjoyed having a bit of time to get various errands done.

Except he’s now told me there’s been ‘pushback’ on this and it is not company policy to allow it all to be carried over. But as I have in writing from HR that I could, it will be upheld.

I’m pretty gutted because I am really aiming to be promoted at work and I feel like I’ve missed an opportunity to show that I’m dedicated. Or that I’m being perceived as taking the piss by asking for the time off.

If I had been told that it wasn’t really the done thing to actually take the extra leave, I would have been disappointed but at least I would have known.

OP posts:
mynameiscalypso · 23/02/2025 10:58

I think it's normal to carry over the leave but most people I know tack it on to the end of their maternity leave so they have a month or so fully paid before returning to work. Does working a four day week impact on your team at all?

TeenagersAngst · 23/02/2025 10:58

Any leave you're entitled to during mat leave should accrue and be taken upon your return. If you're not able to take it within the calendar year because you're away on mat leave, your employer must allow you to carry it over, regardless of their usual 'carry over' policy for employees not on mat leave.

museumum · 23/02/2025 10:58

Where I worked it was usually used immediately either tacked onto Kat leave or to work fewer days in the first couple of months back. It would not be normal to carry it forward and there were strict limits on how much could be carried forward.

TeenagersAngst · 23/02/2025 10:59

To add, it's nothing to do with company policy, as was stated. The law overrides company policies.
https://www.acas.org.uk/your-maternity-leave-pay-and-other-rights/holiday-and-maternity-leave

Original poster
ForSnugLimeExpert · 23/02/2025 11:00

TeenagersAngst · 23/02/2025 10:58

Any leave you're entitled to during mat leave should accrue and be taken upon your return. If you're not able to take it within the calendar year because you're away on mat leave, your employer must allow you to carry it over, regardless of their usual 'carry over' policy for employees not on mat leave.

I know I’m entitled to it legally, I’m more asking if it’s not actually ‘the done thing’

OP posts:
Overthemoun · 23/02/2025 11:01

Take the leave. The law changed and they have to let you carry it over, it’s not them just being kind. They have to pay you for it if you can’t take it, so they could suggest that.

www.acas.org.uk/your-maternity-leave-pay-and-other-rights/holiday-and-maternity-leave

TeenagersAngst · 23/02/2025 11:01

If they're breaking the law and it's passed off as 'the done thing', I'd question whether I wanted to work there. What other employee rights are they disregarding?

Danikm151 · 23/02/2025 11:01

The rules of annual leave mean you should be able to take it.
i had 5 weeks of annual leave before i actually went back to work after maternity leave.

Smartiepants79 · 23/02/2025 11:01

A lot of women i know did exactly what you’re doing. They’re used it to have 1 day off a week for a while when their babies were still small.
It’s been agreed in writing. Just do what you planned. You may not get the same thing another time though!

BalloonSlayer · 23/02/2025 11:01

It's usually tacked on to the end of maternity leave. But the law is that you must not be disadvantaged by having been on maternity leave so if your manager is suggesting that you should not be allowed to take the leave you have accrued he could find himself in hot water.

RainingRoses · 23/02/2025 11:01

ForSnugLimeExpert · 23/02/2025 11:00

I know I’m entitled to it legally, I’m more asking if it’s not actually ‘the done thing’

Show quote history

No, I rolled over and used annual leave both times. And I had no problems doing so with work.

Original poster
ForSnugLimeExpert · 23/02/2025 11:02

mynameiscalypso · 23/02/2025 10:58

I think it's normal to carry over the leave but most people I know tack it on to the end of their maternity leave so they have a month or so fully paid before returning to work. Does working a four day week impact on your team at all?

Not really, I chose the day when we didn’t have any regular meetings. They would have to wait a bit longer for an email reply from me, but tbh I do still check and respond to my emails when I’m off.

I mentioned in my OP that I did ask my manager if he had a preference for how I took it and he didn’t mention taking it all in one, and to choose how I wanted to take it, so I thought it was fine.

OP posts:
OatFlatWhiteForMe · 23/02/2025 11:02

I used mine at the end of each maternity leave allowing me to be home for a further month or so on full pay - handy as nursery settling in sessions etc happened then too.
This also allowed for my cover to continue fulfilling my role as opposed to taking every Friday for 45 weeks where no cover would be in place and the increased workload would fall to my team.

middleeasternpromise · 23/02/2025 11:02

I would agree with what others have said, I haven't come across an expectation that people don't take the leave, more that you find a way to use it quickly so you can get back in the normal pattern of working as soon as possible. Might some of the managers worry that this is a prelude to you asking for a 4 day week rather than what you seem to be saying which is a way of being present quicker?

Overthemoun · 23/02/2025 11:02

It’s the done thing to take your leave.

NotEnoughRoom · 23/02/2025 11:03

Well it will depend on your company policy.
in most of the places I have worked, the expectation was that you added it to the start or end of your mat leave. So you effectively had a longer block of leave off.
if someone wanted to use it to be able to come back eg 4 days a week for a period of time, then sometimes that would be agreed.
the key thing with however it was being used, was that it was booked into the holiday calendar before the mat leave started so that everyone was clear on the situation.

in your case, it sounds like it’s not that it’s “not the done thing” to take it, but that there was no specific agreement on how the leave was going to be used.

littleluncheon · 23/02/2025 11:04

The norm is that you take it as a block to extend your maternity leave, using last year's annual leave allowance to go down to 4 days a week for the following year is less common/acceptable but if your boss agreed in your situation then that's their problem.

Original poster
ForSnugLimeExpert · 23/02/2025 11:04

OatFlatWhiteForMe · 23/02/2025 11:02

I used mine at the end of each maternity leave allowing me to be home for a further month or so on full pay - handy as nursery settling in sessions etc happened then too.
This also allowed for my cover to continue fulfilling my role as opposed to taking every Friday for 45 weeks where no cover would be in place and the increased workload would fall to my team.

My husband was on parental leave in my first two months back so he did all the settling in sessions!

OP posts:
Conxis · 23/02/2025 11:09

I've never come across anyone not taking the accrued AL from their time on maternity leave.
Most people either tag it on the end to give them longer off, or do what I did which was to take 1 day a week off for first couple of months back

Original poster
ForSnugLimeExpert · 23/02/2025 11:09

NotEnoughRoom · 23/02/2025 11:03

Well it will depend on your company policy.
in most of the places I have worked, the expectation was that you added it to the start or end of your mat leave. So you effectively had a longer block of leave off.
if someone wanted to use it to be able to come back eg 4 days a week for a period of time, then sometimes that would be agreed.
the key thing with however it was being used, was that it was booked into the holiday calendar before the mat leave started so that everyone was clear on the situation.

in your case, it sounds like it’s not that it’s “not the done thing” to take it, but that there was no specific agreement on how the leave was going to be used.

Hmm yes I probably should have got it agreed before I went on leave. But I did at least ask if they had a preference for how I used it and was told to decide for myself.

OP posts:
Bleachbum · 23/02/2025 11:10

It’s not been an unwritten rule anywhere that I’ve ever worked. For my first, I went back 3 days per week to begin with using 2 days AL every week to use it up. With my second I ended up having 14 months off. Neither had any impact of promotions or career progression. I was promoted both times within months of returning.

But if you don’t want to take it, get it paid out. I’ve seen lots of people do that before.

Original poster
ForSnugLimeExpert · 23/02/2025 11:14

Bleachbum · 23/02/2025 11:10

It’s not been an unwritten rule anywhere that I’ve ever worked. For my first, I went back 3 days per week to begin with using 2 days AL every week to use it up. With my second I ended up having 14 months off. Neither had any impact of promotions or career progression. I was promoted both times within months of returning.

But if you don’t want to take it, get it paid out. I’ve seen lots of people do that before.

I would prefer to take it to be honest, but I guess I could ask if they’d prefer to pay it out instead

OP posts:
caffelattetogo · 23/02/2025 11:14

You should definitely take it. There is no 'done thing' and the idea that women shouldn't take their accrued leave is structural discrimination. Don't be cowed by bad managers.

Dutchhouse14 · 23/02/2025 11:17

I my workplace it's definitely the done thing to use it.
Most people seem to tack it onto their maternity leave or use it as a way to work part time for the first few weeks back to ease themselves and baby into the new childcare/work pattern
Honestly I think you should take it.

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