Anyone planning on not returning to work?

[Christina1979]

I am planning not to go back to work.

Anyone else? It seems more people intend to go back to work than not... so just wondering if there are any others like me out there??

Also, when do we have to let work know that we are not going back? I dont want to end up in the position of having to work notice period as another girl at my work place did....

 

[purple13]

i don't want to go back to work. my OH knows this, but is trying not to think about it!! too much pressure for him i think... but at the moment, i leave the house at 0830 and get home at 1930 - i don't see the point in having children if i'm never going to see them.

not sure when to tell work that i won't be returning either... and also how to claim all the holiday i'll be accruing while i'm off - do you get that paid at the end of maternity leave??

 

[Happybunny]

I am planning to have a 5 year career break. But I am not going to hand in my resignation straight away...I am going to take maternity leave so that I can go back to my job if, God forbid, the worst should happen. When the baby is born and all is well, I am going to resign then and pay back some of my SMP.

It is very scary. I am a professional woman with a very good salary so I am worried about losing my independence a little and relying on hubby's income. It will be strange not being able to go and buy whatever I want, when ever I want, I have been spoiled for a few years...we just wont have the luxury on one income. But I am glad I have the opportunity and i think it is very much worth it. It will be different but rewarding...I hope

 

[GBLiz]

me and my partner just this weekend put an offer in on a gym, and got it accepted....so I'll definitely be working, but we'll be working for ourselves so i can keep the baby with me all day

 

[Christina1979]

I was told by Citizens Advice Bureau that you dont have to pay back any of your SMP if you dont return to work.

I am signed off sick at the moment (SPD) but still intend to take maternity leave and get all my benefits etc then will let work know that I am not returning once baby is here and a few months old.

 

[Tillytots]

I was told by Citizens Advice Bureau that you dont have to pay back any of your SMP if you dont return to work.

I am signed off sick at the moment (SPD) but still intend to take maternity leave and get all my benefits etc then will let work know that I am not returning once baby is here and a few months old.

I read this too that you dont have to pay back any SMP. You might want to check that Happybunny. Dont pay back anything you dont have to hun. I've said to work that Il be coming back but Il wait and see what happens.

@ purple13 - check about your hols hun. I was told today that if I dont take my holiday before I start mat leave I will lose it. You may have to take yours first too?

x

 

[Happybunny]

I will double check that fact, it is interestng. It might be different because i am a teacher. I have read the union advice and it says that I might have too. I will do some more research and find out for sure. I am prepared in case.

 

[jodie_honey]

im off work sick at the moment too and im gonna take mat leave and then not go back. i think i will find a new job part time when the baby is 7 months coz at the mo i work with kids n i wouldnt wanna work wth kids when ive put mine in childcare :S i mite end up stayin home yet tho xx

 

[purple13]

@ purple13 - check about your hols hun. I was told today that if I dont take my holiday before I start mat leave I will lose it. You may have to take yours first too?

x

yeah, i need to look into this - its got me all confused... my contract says that i still accrue holiday whilst on materntity leave as well as accruing bank holidays as well - so that's theoretically 30 days (or 6 working weeks) of extra time. but i don't understand how it works, if i get paid for it or when i have to take it. my holiday runs from jan to dec, so i won't have accrued much when i go on leave...

my HR dept aren't too interested in talking to me about my maternity leave til i get my matb1 - hopefully at my MW appt next week...

 

[Magic Monkey]

I will double check that fact, it is interestng. It might be different because i am a teacher. I have read the union advice and it says that I might have too. I will do some more research and find out for sure. I am prepared in case.

I am a teacher too, and it is not the SMP that you have to pay back if you don't return to work, it is the 12 weeks OMP at half pay that you get. I work in Hampshire and you can choose not to receive the 12 weeks of half pay to begin with, rather than paying it back afterwards - if you do decide to go back, you then get it all as a lump sum in your first months wages when you return. (not sure if this is the same for all LEAS)

If you look at the NUT website there is a document called maternity matters that tells you everything you are entitled to.

 

[Fingers crossed]

I'm not planning on going back . OH doesn't want me too and said he'd rather work 2 or 3 jobs so I can stay home and look after baby. Plus with the cost of child care it wouldn't even be worth me going to work anyway, and we don't want other people looking after our baby.
But saying that, when you're on maternity leave you accrue all your holidays, so I might go back just to take them . I'll have 9 months off then a months worth of holidays to take within 3 months

 

[Gem & Leland]

im not going back either , i may have to work part time somewhere but i will not do full time , i am lucky that i dont have to pay back my omp and even luckier thats its 10 weeks full pay im taken my 4 weeks holiday in jan , start mat leave 1st feb , i have to hand in my notice 8 weeks before i intend to not go back and then i will get any outstanding hol and bank hol paid to me at the end . altho the already know i cant go back full time, if they can make up a part time postion then i would be interested in that .

 

[littlepip]

i dont know if ill go back but im going to have to do something to get £200 extra a month as i have a loan. i have enough to pay for a years loan payments but ive got another 3 and a half years to pay after that

 

[poppy160]

I don't think I will be going back to work where I'm working now after Maternity leave. I'm planning to do a home learning course while on leave and hopefully get a better job afterwards.

 

[loz]

My plan is that I will go back part-time (3 days a week) and hopefully my husband might be able to drop 1 day so the baby would only need to be looked after 2 days a week by someone else. Some of my friends never went back to work after having babies and are quite happy. I think part-time will work for me best.

 

[Christina1979]

As far as holida goes I have been told different things by my manager and by the HR department.

Manager says I will only be able to take the holiday I will have accrued by the time I intend to start my maternity leave before hand. Other holiday will stil accrue in the meantime and i can take that at the end of maternity leave.

HR says I can take all holiday that I would be due up to next april before my maternity leave. The rest I will accrue and be able to take after maternity leave.

confused?!?!?!

Either way I have been assured whether you leave work or stay on you will get paid for all the holiday you have accrued right up to when you hand your notice in. It is against the law not to pay you for these days as you have the same employee rights as if you were attending work.

 

[Gem & Leland]

and dont forget u have to give 15 weeks notice of when u want maternity leave to start even my hubby got to give 15 weeks for paternity ! hope im on time lmao

 

[Christina1979]

yes 15 weeks before baby is due..... not 15 weeks before you intend to start your maternity leave yes??

 

[Babylicious]

I've got to return - can't afford not too

 

[Tillytots]

i dont know if ill go back but im going to have to do something to get £200 extra a month as i have a loan. i have enough to pay for a years loan payments but ive got another 3 and a half years to pay after that

Ive got this prob too hun. Im insured so the loan gets paid whilst Im on mat leave but after that Il have to stump up the cash. Its not quite as much but still £118 a month for the next 3yrs