maternity support leave

fitzilian19

as some of you know i'll be divorced / divorcing by the time i give birth.

have any of you heard of maternity support leave? thinking of my mum who is going to be my birthing partner and taking holiday entitlement to help after baby is born...

someone at work (police) mentioned it but mum isnt sure and google has not helped...

clairec79

I wonder if this is something specific to the police, it's not a government thing

3onitsway

I'm not sure its what you mean, but my mum found out (after i'd had my baby) that she'd have been entitled to a day off to help me/family when I had the baby. She works for local council so not sure if its a council thing or across the board.

KentishLady

I think this type of leave will vary from employer to employer.

My employer allowed me to leave work as soon as my sister went into labour. As bubba wasn't born til the early hours and it took a loooong time before she was ready to go to the ward (she had to wait for a Dr to be stitched), I was able to take the next day as leave as well. Having said that there is nothing "official" in our HR policies - my T/L and line managers just applied a little bit of discretion.

I think she is just going to have to ask her employer what arrangements (if any) are in place where she works.

KL

Nicki

Might they be thinking of dependency leave? This is a legal entitlement, though the entitlement is only to a short period off work unpaid for an emergency.

More info here

http://www.ivillage.co.uk/workcareer/culture/rights/articles/0,,204_700389,00.html

fitzilian19

she'll effectively be taking the father's part during the first few weeks after baby arrives...

i'll get her to ask when shes at work next - worth a try...

aside frm that - father wont be taking any part post-birth - he wont still be entitled to paternity leave will he? seems like it'd be a free holiday for him (his work have full-paid paternity leave)

987654

fitzilian19 wrote: »

she'll effectively be taking the father's part during the first few weeks after baby arrives...

i'll get her to ask when shes at work next - worth a try...

aside frm that - father wont be taking any part post-birth - he wont still be entitled to paternity leave will he? seems like it'd be a free holiday for him (his work have full-paid paternity leave)

I suppose this will depend what he has told his employers. The purpose of pat leave is to support the mother & assist with the baby in the early days (doesn't have to be taken immediately after the birth).

If his employer doesn't ask for proof of the birth (not normally required as you would generally know if an employee was going to become a father) and he hasn't told them they he won't be involved with the baby, he could apply.

That said (I haven't looked at any of your other threads), if he isn't going to be involved with the baby he would be in a pretty uncomfortable position returning to work after pat leave with nothing to say about the baby.

fitzilian19

he was at work when he told me he'd been having an affair - emailed me. went to work the next day too.

he hasnt told them anything.. although he's moving into hers this weekend so i suppose he'll have to notify about change of address.

MrsTinks

Technically he could apply for paternity leave - some employers ask to see the Matb1 form - most don't. I'd really not worry about what he does or doesn't do to be honest, you are going to be more than busy enough with a baby to look after without even thinking about what he's doing or getting. If he does take paternity leave then let him - when work finds out, which eventually they will as these things always go round at work, then they will be less than sympathetic if he's taken paternity leave yet has nothing to do with the child.

As for your mother then this is entirely down to the individual employer. More than likely if they are nice and human they will be understanding and let her take some leave, either as holiday or unpaid leave (they might let her have a day or two paid leave without making her take it as holiday if they are really nice or if there is something in her employment contract).

fitzilian19

work have been a great support to mum - she wasnt long into the start of her career as a PC when dad left and then 2 years ago my sister told her of the abuse he inflincted on her for 10 years (he's a PC too and worked in next met borough - so they moved him to somewhere else when mum raised concerns)
work already know about this latest drama - shes already had great support from her seniors... here's hoping they understand. if she cant get Mat Support leave she'll still be able to take annual leave.

Fleago

I work for a local authority and our terms and conditions allow for maternity support leave. There's some form or other that the mother to be has to complete stating that she needs the support of the person and I think the Matb1 form has to be produced too. It's five days paid leave. Is this the sort of thing your Mum has in mind, fitzilian19?