hi, i work for the nhs doing 12 hour shifts both days and nights and now my return date is looming. i have worked out that childcare and travel costs will now be almost the same as my income. Ill now be paying for 2 children but the main problem is that the bus service has reduced its service so i will now have to rely on taxis which will cost £30 a day or take the bus option which will take 4 hours to get home after finishing work as a result!

I had intended on returning and leaving after 3 months (i wont have to pay back omp if i do) however given the amount of strain this will put on my family and my finances ( my eldest son and OH hated me working such long hours before so now this will be so much worse) i am debating whether i should just leave and agree to pay it back as im damned either way.

However, i dont know how quickly the money has to be paid back and i dont want to ring HR because if it is immediate they may ask me to repay now which isnt possible.

I am hoping that i can repay in installments and get a pt job elsewhere when my mat leave is up.

Has anyone been in a similar situation?

thanks in advance.

why don't u just get a sickline from ur doctor for 3months and then leave. that's still classed as returning and u won't have to pay it back. tell the doctor ur not ready to return, baby is not sleeping, etc, etc.

thanks hollyrose, yeah that might work if i cant sort it, wouldnt be lying he still wakes every 2 hours max lol

Not sure how you go about paying it back, I'm NHS as well. Have you taken all your holidays as well as they count towards the 3 months you need to work when you go back. I start next week and am due to go back in October but get new holidays from April 2012. I will have accrued around 14 days by then so those would count towards the 3 months I would need to work when I return (plus the holidays accrued during the 3 months working, so another 7 or so days).

I checked with my manager about this and she told me I def had to return for 1 month or pay back omp. However on checking with HR ( I just told them I needed to know my options and what the policy is I have to adhere to re returning to work/not returning to work) HR have confirmed they would never make me repay opm. I know each employer has different rules but maybe best to check with your HR to get the facts.

Hope you get sorted x

slightly different but i got allegedly overpaid when i worked for the council in that last wage. they sent me an invoice and 28 days to pay it in full. after that they sent it to a debt collection agency and had threatening letters. i would go on sick for 3 months tbh x