Accruing holidays whilst on maternity leave

Burnley_Lad

My wife is currently on maternity leave following the birth of our daughter in November 2008. Her maternity leave started in September 2008.

Originally, she had planned to return to work part-time in June 2009 (i.e. at the end of her 9 months of statutory maternity leave), but is now considering returning to work part-time in September 2009 (i.e. taking the option of 13 weeks of additional unpaid maternity leave).

Her holiday year runs from January to December each year. She gets 20 days holiday per year plus bank holidays.

I have three questions:

1. When she returns to work part-time in September 2009, will she have accrued holidays up until that point, or only until the end of her ordinary maternity leave i.e. June 2009?
2. At what rate will she have accrued these holidays? The full-time rate she was working prior to going on maternity leave, or the part-time rate she will be working when returning from maternity leave?
3. If she accrues the holidays at the full-time rate, and for example she accrued 15 days in that time - is that classed as 15 full days i.e. if she returns to work for five half-days per week, she would be entitled to 30 half days (equalling 15 full days)?

Thanks in advance for any advice anyone can provide!

Rince

Hi, at my place of work we have a Work life balance policy which states everything like this. Does your wife have a HR department that she can contact ? I've answered your questions based on what my company does ...
1. we would have accrued holidays up to September 2009
2. These holidays are accrued at what ever rate she was previously working, so if she was full time before she started maternity then they should be accruing holidays at full time rate.
3.How many days per month does she accrue as 20 days / 12 months is not a whole number. For example at my place of work we accrue 2 days per month and then an extra day in the 6th and 12th month = 26 days + bank holidays. Whatever the number of holidays your wife will have accrued up to sept 2009 will be full time so if like me she worked 3 days a week, I use 3 days holiday to have the week off. But next year, as she will be accruing holidays at a part time rate, she will obviously have less days. If she will be working half days then only 1/2 day holiday is needed. So for 2009, she would be entitled to 15 full days (30 half days) + the part time holidays she'll be accruing from sept 09 to Dec 09. remember 2010 shes only have part time holidays.
Hope this makes sense !