work and maternity leave

[tink30]

Hello

I sent in a letter to H.R about 2 weeks ago with my MATb1 form along with a letter and request to take the rest of my holiday before maternity leave ... i wrote to start maternity leave on the 3rd Jan and (i have about 20 days holiday left).. ive been signed off sick from week 10.. and i sent in another doctors note which had 6 weeks on it.. last week..im in no fit state to go back to work with the complications i have etc..

Is this normal to be waiting ? or should I have heard back yet? i dont want to nag them.. and have another 5 weeks off with my sick note.. which leaves 2 week needed for the holiday part..

Hope someone can advise x think im over stressing!!

 

[Gilly74]

Hi, they normally have 28 days to respond to any letters relating to maternity, however there is no harm in checking they recieved your letter. I would suggest that if you have had no formal response by 28 days, I would write to them to say, further to my letter dated X, as I have not heard back from you, that you arein agreement to the request I made. ... Blah blah..

(I work in HR)....

 

[tink30]

Hi, they normally have 28 days to respond to any letters relating to maternity, however there is no harm in checking they recieved your letter. I would suggest that if you have had no formal response by 28 days, I would write to them to say, further to my letter dated X, as I have not heard back from you, that you arein agreement to the request I made. ... Blah blah..

(I work in HR)....

Thanks gilly thats put my mind at ease..

 

[Sarah24]

I think most employers are notorious for being slow and unorganised with admin. My boss lost my MATB1 form : / just nag them xx

 

[tink30]

I think most employers are notorious for being slow and unorganised with admin. My boss lost my MATB1 form : / just nag them xx

Thanks hun xx

 

[crazylilth1ng]

Head office lost my letter requesting mat leave (but not my mat b1) so I had to re write it and didn't get confirmation till my leave started!!! Legally they should reply in 28 days tho

 

[tink30]

Head office lost my letter requesting mat leave (but not my mat b1) so I had to re write it and didn't get confirmation till my leave started!!! Legally they should reply in 28 days tho

Oh gosh.. thats bad! is it 28 days (working ones) or does it include weekends? think its been 28days in the next few days..

 

[missmayhem]

get on to them hun.... i was in the same spot and thought ahh they'll sort it being a company of ladies who we get on well with..... hahahahaha

still not sorted and i went on mat leave at 29 weeks all forms submitted at 24 weeks

 

[tink30]

Thank you.. should i call? or send another letter?

 

[winbig82]

Id just ring them hun, at the end of the day your kinda doing them a favour by using your holiday rather than being off sick so I dont see why they would have a problem anyway xx Ive been off work nearly every other week with one problem or another so I went in to see my boss and said surely im doing the company a favour if I add my holiday onto the start of my maternity leave and he agreed - Also by that point they had hired my reserve so I didnt really have a role in the office anyway xx I went into work on Tuesday and he had my up and down 2 flights of stairs with boxes of post at least 15 times........ By the end of my shift I couldnt even walk home!! So I went back to the doctors yesterday and im officially finished now until next year - Such a relief x

 

[Kirei]

Definitely give HR a call and say I just want to check you received my MAT B1 and notification of maternity start date. They'll say yes or no, probably yes. Then say can you please confirm that what I've included in the letter has now been actioned and is acceptable to you? They'll say yes because it's your right to start mat leave when you want providing you give the proper notice, which you have. Then say I'd appreciate it if you can put it in writing, as my midwife told me employers should do this within 28 days of the notification, and advise me of my start date back at work after 52 weeks maternity leave and I was concerned that I haven't received this yet.

What do you think? Don't be scared to call them, you've done nothing wrong, and this is important for you to sort out.

If you don't tell them otherwise, your work should assume (tell them if they don't know) that you will take the full 52 weeks leave and give you a start date based on that. If you change your mind about when you want to finish your leave you must give them 8 weeks notice of the new start date, ie if you want to go back after 6 months, tell them after 4 months, this is your right.

I hope I helped, good luck! xx

 

[tink30]

thanks girls..i checked my diary and its been 24 days so if ive not heard back by next week then i wil definetly call (gulp) your right , i need to get this sorted xx

 

[Frankie]

How long have you worked with them? and are you entitled to the full maternity allowance?

Just the same thing happened with my SIL, she was off sick from 10 weeks (hasnt gone back) and wasnt entitled to SMP only maternity allowance

 

[tink30]

How long have you worked with them? and are you entitled to the full maternity allowance?

Just the same thing happened with my SIL, she was off sick from 10 weeks (hasnt gone back) and wasnt entitled to SMP only maternity allowance

Hi Frankie,

Ive been with them for 10 years.. and ive had full pay thru out the sickness so hope im still entitled..?

 

[Gilly74]

You'll be entitled, and don't call, write put everything in writing. That way there is a record...

 

[tink30]

You'll be entitled, and don't call, write put everything in writing. That way there is a record...

Thanks gilly.. its been 24 days after checking my diary .. so will leave it until next week and send it recorded delivery i will sleep now.. was starting to panic x

 

[Frankie]

I see, well then you should hear back by next week

 

[tink30]

I see, well then you should hear back by next week

Thank you xx im sure they would have it as it included my sick note and they would have been onto me by now im sure x

 

[katree]

I heard quite quickly but I wanted to change the date of my mat leave so sent it back in with a new letter saying I wanted to start mat leave later than originally planned that was about 2 weeks ago and I havent heard back either, so I dont know if Im starting my mat leave at 29weeks (the original date) or 33weeks cos like you Ive been off sick since week 7, I couldnt stay off sick any longer cos my pay was gonna drop to half pay, I had 5weeks annual leave to take before mat leave started. Its all very confusing xx

 

[tink30]

I heard quite quickly but I wanted to change the date of my mat leave so sent it back in with a new letter saying I wanted to start mat leave later than originally planned that was about 2 weeks ago and I havent heard back either, so I dont know if Im starting my mat leave at 29weeks (the original date) or 33weeks cos like you Ive been off sick since week 7, I couldnt stay off sick any longer cos my pay was gonna drop to half pay, I had 5weeks annual leave to take before mat leave started. Its all very confusing xx

Oh gosh you are in exactly the same circumstance as me.. if they allow me my holiday then i will keep my wages.. ive asked them to confirm how many i have left ..as im sure its over 4 weeks.. and the sick note i have now brings me upto 34 weeks.. so was hoping to start maternity at 36 and use the holiday towards it.. ( i didnt realise doc was going to sign me off for so long) but it would be good not to have to get another doctors note and just know that im off..
let me know how u get on xx i will update as soon as i know anything