My employer isn't acknowledging my pregnancy

[MomaJoni]

I advised my employer when I was starting my IVF journey, I also advised them officially when I turned 12 weeks.

I had requested a risk assessment on several occasions as it states in our company handbook that this must be done at the earliest possible time - This was finally conducted when I turned 25 weeks. I was not asked any questions, I just sat there while my director ticked boxes and then left the room once he was satisfied that I was not subjected to any risks in my office.

I have requested on a number of occasions that we schedule some form of meeting so we can discuss when I intend to start my maternity leave and for how long etc and am I still yet to hear nothing. I am now approaching 28 weeks, I can technically start my maternity from 5th Feb if I want to but have decided to start it from 1st April, yet I have no one to tell..as they're not interested.

I work for a small company as part of the management team with just 2 directors above me. I've been given CV's of people who have applied for my position as maternity cover, but no one has asked me what I intend to do and I just feel like my right to decide is being taken away, and if they leave it any later and I decide to go on my maternity earlier, they will just say 'you were supposed to give us more notice'...Really don't know where I stand or what I should do =/

[Habibi87]

Hi MomaJoni,

I am

So sorry to hear if your difficulties with your employer. This is really not acceptable.

The first thing you should do is give them a copy of your MATB1 form if you haven’t done this already. This is needed both to establish when you can start your maternity leave and for payroll.

Most companies would then give you a form to complete in regards to your maternity plan. If they haven’t done that, I would email them stating exactly what your plans are but also reminding them that you can notify them of a change in your maternity leave start date with 4 weeks notice and a change in your proposed return to work date on 8 weeks notice.

It is also important that you check what your employer does in regards to your holidays. You will continue to accrue holidays while you are on maternity leave. When does your holiday year run from to ? Do you have any accrued but untaken holiday that you might want to use before maternity start? If your holiday year ends before you return to work will they pay you for the accrued but untaken holidays or will they let you carry all of them over to the next holiday year ?

Maternity leave is your right so don’t get them to ruin this magic moment for you

Xx

[MomaJoni in reply to Habibi87]

Hi Habibi,

Thank you so much for responding.

To answer the questions, I have provided them with a physical copy and a digital copy of my MATB form as soon as I received it. They have acknowledged receipt but mentioned nothing.

My holiday year starts April 1st and my due date is April 29th, so I intend to use as much holiday between those dates as possible so that I don’t return to an enormous amount to use and potentially lose. We have an external HR company who I have asked about this already and they said it is within my right as I will continue to accrue whilst on maternity leave.

After I posted this thread, I decided to write my concerns in an email to one of my directors and expressed that I am conscious of the fact that no one seems to be willing to discuss my maternity plan despite my attempts to arrange a meeting and despite the fact that we are almost within the window where I am entitled to start my leave.

I have since had a response saying they are going to email me tomorrow to outline my responsibilities whilst on maternity which has really thrown me through a loop because as far as I was aware, if I am on maternity, I shouldn’t be working for them at all?

I am the finance manager for the company so I have processed several employees for maternity leave and never had to outline their responsibilities.

My director is not shy of telling me how he things ‘pregnant women have too many rights’ and ‘a year is far too long to be away from the office’ but absolutely nothing will stop me having my entitled time with my baby.

I just feel so victimised with it all and I’m not the type to feel sorry for myself at all.

[Habibi87 in reply to MomaJoni]

Don’t let them stress you or panic you. It is called maternity leave for a reason. It is entirely up to you to decide if you want to do any of the 10 stay in touch days that are allowed without them causing an interruption of your leave. It is also important to know that if you take up to 26 weeks of leave you are entitled to return to the same job. For above 26 weeks you, if the company has god reasons, they could offer you a different job but it has to be on no worse terms than before (pay, benefits etc). Wishing you luck for your meeting and keep me posted x

[Positivechangeplease in reply to MomaJoni]

I think you need to go to the citizens advice bureau. It is against the law for him to say things like “pregnant women have too many rights” and as you say you’re not feeling empowered as pregnant and they should be celebrating this with you. As well as documenting all the things regarding your mat leave and notifying them - do this in the background. Just because they’re a small company doesn’t give them the right to treat you like this!

[Purpledoggy]

Speak to Pregnanct Then Screwed +/- ACAS for advice on how to handle and your rights. You are not legally allowed to do any work at all (including responding to emails about work) when on ML, except on your KIT days. xx

[MomaJoni]

Thank you for your advice everyone. Since I last posted, I have received a generic email from my employer stating my 'responsibilities' during maternity leave which was a bunch of nothing really. Pretty much outlining that I have to give them 8 weeks notice for if I wish to return early and 28 days notice if I wish to start my maternity earlier which I find to be a bit crap considering they have left it to 5 days before my maternity leave rights begin and I have been asking for some/any form of acknowledgement since I was 12 weeks along.

The entire situation is really getting me down to be honest. My boss is being a bit insulting about my job overall, saying they will hire someone without the required qualifications if push comes to shove and that my job that I am contracted to 30 hours for, can be done in no more than 20. I have decided that I will leave them to it and let them make their mistakes. I was initially worried that I would be leaving my job in the hands of someone incapable of keeping it in a good position but I have since decided that I won't return to this company after my maternity leave.

I travel 45 minutes each way to my job, which I don't think is something I would be comfortable with doing when I have a young baby at home in another town. They've made their bed, now they can lie in it

[MyLittlePinkness in reply to MomaJoni]

I don’t really have advice for you but I just want to say ….good on you for deciding to leave…your boss sounds like one hell of a p***k!! Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy 💕