Maternity Leave and Holidays

[Cupcake.Star]

Grrrrr my work is doing my head in at the moment.
I informed my boss I was pregnant when I was only 6 weeks along. I asked her if the company has any set guidelines on Maternity Leave and how holidays are worked, etc. She told HR who replied nothing could be done till they get my Mat B form.
I asked my boss if I can take my holiday leave before I start ML, as our holidays run Jan-Dec and I wouldn't be back in time to take them after unless I was allowed to carry them over into the new year. Area manager tells my boss I can only take that I have accured already and take the rest when I come back, not before.
I'm currently 28 weeks along and I'm due to start ML at week 34. I'm going to be taking 39 weeks off, so I'm due back on Dec 30th. When I mentioned this to my boss, she said 39 weeks runs out at the start of Dec. So I showed her on the calender it's gonna be 30th Dec. Now she's saying no one realized I would be back that late in the year and I won't be able to carry my holiday over...
She's tried to get hold of our Area Manager again but still no news.
I'm wondering if they might try to get me to start my ML early, then come back earlier. Don't know what would of happened if I'd wanted the full 52 weeks off.

Does anyone have any advice of what I could do if they just decide not to let me have my 20+ days holiday carried over or paid?

 

[Lisa40]

Hi hun,

They cannot take your holidays from you as you have accrued these while working there. You can decide whether you want to take them before or after your maternity leave. If your holiday year runs out while you are on maternity leave then they don't have to let you carry them over, however they do have to pay you for them (so essentially you would just take an extra few weeks unpaid mat leave & they holiday pay would cover this - this is why most companies just allow you to carry it over.)

The only issue would be is if you wanted to take the full 52 weeks & then your holiday afterwards, they can refuse to allow you to do this but they have to pay you still for the holidays.

So basically as long as you are taking less than 52 weeks, just ask for your holidays to be paid at the end of the year & take as many days extra as you would have had holiday for as unpaid mat leave.

Hope this makes sense, let me know if you need anything else.

xx

 

[Cupcake.Star]

Thank you. I've just got to stop worrying about it all