Thought that i had mat leave all sussed out, but now they tell me that i cant take any A/L prior to mat leave. Fed up!

[nananaps]

I think that they are allowed to do this so there is nothing i can do.

I wanted to take one week time owing (they owe me over 30 hours from working late/no breaks etc and they wont pay me for this)
2 weeks A/L then start mat leave around Jan 7th.

My manger has told me that i am not allowed any leave over Christmas and new year week so i have to work it or take mat leave.

I am taking 12 months off which means if i go before Christmas i will be stung for working all of Christmas next year as they wont allow me to take any over next Christams either and tag it on the end of my mat leave.

I will be 37 weeks when i finish.
I am in a very poor physical state now going to be much worse then.

I had everything planned out so well. All for nothing it seems.

Bastard NHS...

[StrawberriesTasteLikeLipsDo]

That sounds not very understanding but not illegal. Id take the holiday owing asap, then grin and bear it?!

[nananaps]

They will only allow me to take it one day here and there i think, so not even an entire week.

Ive got SO much to do, God knows when i am going to squeeze it all in.

Over 20 years of loyal service, minimal sick time, doing extra shifts at the spur of the moment for them, even working on wards that i dont normally work on so that patients get care when they demanded it of me...sheesh, i think that i wont be doing any of that any longer for them.

[FarelyKnuts]

What is the reasoning for not being allowed to add it on to the end? ( and take maternity leave early?)

[nananaps]

It will be Christmas again. No A/L is allowed during this period.
So i will end mat leave just before Christmas, then have to go back to work.

Believe me, if i have any time off over Christmas this year, they will make me pay next year...i will be stung to work it all.

I just wanted this Christmas off and next Christmas too (selfish)

Ive waited for 5 years for this baby, had a shite year and to be home with my family before my baby arrives over Christmas was a huge shining light for me.

[Skiffen]

Maybe you'll be too poorly to work....

[nananaps]

ahh Skiffen, i have NEVER rang in sick and not been sick....although really, i think that i will be in so much pain from my hips & back i may not be fit for anything..and there is the possibility of pre eclampsia as i had that with my son.

Just moaning really, ignore me. Theres folk that work Christmas every year, and i want 2 off! Diva!!

[Mummydoctor]

I thought they had to let you take annual leave accrued after maternity leave if you wished to. I know it probably won't help before baby arrives but thought you'd be able to go back after Christmas next year.

I took annual leave accrued straight after 8 months maternity leave, which fell over Christmas, so I returned to work mid January. My (NHS) employer wasn't going to let me do this but I told them I would extend my mat leave in that case and go back in February- they decided they'd rather me get back earlier so not having to cover locum costs . Don't suppose that really helps though does it...

[reindeerjumper]

If they are being arses just get signed off sick

[nananaps]

hmm, i am already taking 12 months and that will wipe out everything that i have saved, so wont be able to afford unpaid leave.

I am allowed to take accrued leave at the end of mat leave, BUT the same rule applies, no A/L over Christmas & new year week, so i will have to go back for those 2 weeks, then take leave.

There is a lassy finishing for mat leave on Christmas eve at my work..i wonder if she has factored this rule in becuase she will have to go back to work Christmas eve next year..what a bummer!

[GoldPlatedNineDoors]

Do your holidays run april - april?

[Mummydoctor]

Could you say you'd take those 2 weeks over next Christmas unpaid and see how they respond? Or would it be completely unaffordable?

[nananaps]

Holidays run April to April yes.

I could budget (even more tightly) to cover 2 weeks unpaid over next Christmas, DH and i could both chuck some money in a pot every month to cover this.....hmmm i have a plan formulating in my baby jelly brain......

[Mummydoctor]

It's worth a try. It was so lovely to not work Christmas and New Year last year. We had a great family time although we had to be careful about spending too much around Christmas.

In the meantime, if you are feeling too ill to work, I don't think it would be at all unreasonable if you had to take the odd day off sick.

Good luck!!

[FreelanceMama]

I agree, horrid employers but probably nowt you can do. But...if you're stressed about it I'm sure your GP would sign you off sick.

[Oodthunkit]

Signing off sick would trigger mat leave after 36 weeks if it's pregnancy related.

[nananaps]

I might not care by then..i will be 37 weeks pregnant and too tired and sore to care i suspect!

Thanks for listening and for your sympathies, it is very much appreciated

[missingmumxox]

it's Nov take all your time owing as you can now, and put in writing that if you can't fit in your A/l before Mat leave you want to be paid it in lue, as, as fair as I am aware?? you can carry over a few days to the next year, it is not 2 weeks worth.....that said I wents on mat leave during the agenda for change, came back a year later in the Jan 2 1/2K better off and 44 days A/l to take :) as they allowed it accure due to the general fuck up the government had and then my trust had made. good luck

[BertieBotts]

Don't get signed off sick unless you have to - if you get signed off sick a certain amount of time before ML it forces you to start ML early meaning you'd have to go back before Christmas next year, or risk breaking the contract.

[BertieBotts]

Four weeks before due date, it is.

[GoldPlatedNineDoors]

What sory of industry do you work in - does it involve literally being at your place of work.on christmas day? If not, just suck it up and enjoy the fact you wont be there next year

[edam]

Have you checked with your union or with ACAS that this is actually legal? Don't forget you continue to accrue holiday during mat leave so you will have a full year's allocation of annual leave when you come back from mat leave.

[nananaps]

Thanks every one.

The plan is to take a weeks AL in about 3 weeks, that way i can get my shopping and everything done plus it leaves my replacement free flying for a week, see how she does.

Then go back on short weeks till my leave and TO is used. Apart from those two weeks over the xmas period, my work load should be drastically cut, and i should be able to concentrate on office type stuff which will mean no manual handling or 12 hour shifts on the ward.

As long as pesky pre eclampsia doesnt rear its head, and i take it easy, it should work out ok. Fingers crossed.

[fledtoscotland]

Just be careful cos if you are off sick on a PH you have a days AL deducted under agenda for change and if you are signed off sick, they will automatically start your mat leave.

The joys of the nhs

[ScottishElle]

see maternity action helpline, they totally helped me, free helpline! I am shocked at the state of some bosses and what they are trying to get away with!