Returning to work after Maternity leave - annual leave allowance.

[londongirl2701]

Hi

Hoping somebody can help me.

I'm due to return to work in May after my mat leave, I'm going back part time. My hours are now 29 hours per week, I used to work full time 42.5 hours per week.

My "full time" annual leave is 24 days plus bank holidays, and I have 8 days of unused annual leave carried over from 2024 while I was on maternity leave.

What I want to know is, 1; do I still get to keep my 8 days from 2024 regardless of now being part time employee and 2; what is my new pro rata annual leave allowance now that my hours have reduced to 29 hours per week instead of 42.5 hours per week.

Thanks x

Have you accrued leave whilst on maternity leave or is that the 8 days?

if you had 8 days intake prior to May leave you retain that. You also accrue annual leave whilst on May leave. I calculate that you are entitled to 16.5 days leave and 5.5 days bank hols on your new hours

Leave accrued during May leave would be at full time rate.

would only reduce once part time working has started.

Sorry typo - meant mat leave.

Hi, sorry I've been unclear

Yes the 8 days from 2924 is the holiday I accrued on my maternity leave since I left last April x

Ok so if that 8 days is untaken the. You should be allowed to take it.
Your annual allowance should be as per my previous post - but will be pro rated if you return mid way through the holiday year.

@devildeepbluesea thank you, sorry just to clarify sinus get my 8 days I accrued then plus 16.5 days annual leave in total 24.5 days for 2025 holiday year ending December 2025?

Sorry this all confuses me x

Yes that should be what happen. You accrued theb8 days working full time, and you are still entitled to take those days. If your holiday year ends in Dec 2025 then you won’t be entitled to the full yearly holiday of 16.5 and 5.5 - assuming you return on 1st May your annual entitlement is 8/12of that plus the 8 days you’re owed.

so for this year:

11 days leave plus 4 days BH plus the 8 days you’re owed.

There is no reduction whilst on mat leave, if full time before, it is the equivalent for the time off, so if you are on a 1st Jan leave year and had 8 days left from 2024, you have that, the full time equivalent leave, up till you return and the if on your return you are part time, it is calculated from then to the end of the year as part time, so 6 days Jan-Mar, plus the bank holiday. Then your part time rate from April to Dec (returning on 1st April), plus the part time equivalent of 7 bank holidays).

Any leave you’ve accrued you keep at the level you accrued it.

So if you’ve got 8 days in hand that’s still 8 days when you go to use them. Only twist would be if the working day length changes, so if you’ve accrued 8 days that were 8.5 hrs long and you then go t use them on days that are 6.5 hours long then you should get an extra day. Or if you go to use them on ten hour long days you get fewer.

The one to watch is when you move to part time contract officially. Some places won’t let you move until you’ve used your accrued leave.

Yes what they said ⬆️

Amazing thank you all for your help!x