Returning to work after maternity leave, and annual leave

Cupcakey

Hi all. I am looking for a word or two of advice.

I am due to return to work next week after maternity leave, and have reduced my hours to weekends only at their suggestion. I gave them 2 months notice of my return-to-work date and they confirmed receipt of this and my new salary. At the same time, I requested several dates for annual leave. This was ignored. I have been in to see them 4 times asking for updates, to tell them that I am trying to book a family holiday, a weekend away, and plan my daughter's first birthday party and my partner's 40th. Every time she tells me she will call me and will be in touch and she never is. It's really hard to get her by phone because of the nature of the job, but I do keep emailing and she never replies.

I'm getting fed up. I don't really know where I stand. I'm tempted to hand in my notice, because I feel it is the only way I can actually get a holiday. What do people do when their employer will approve absolutely no annual leave whatsoever? How do I make them listen to me? I know that none of my colleagues are going through the same thing, I feel like my line manager is completely unaware that I have the same rights as any other employee.

Can anyone tell me where to go from here? It seems a bit risky to book a holiday anyway, and to plan a birthday party for my daughter if they're not going to approve the time off. But what happens when they approve nothing?

Many thanks.

marliepanda

Ultimately your manager can dictate when you take your leave, the same as any other employee.

The only thing you can do is continue to attempt to contact her. It may be easier once you are back at work.

Cupcakey

Thanks for your reply.

I'm aware that legally an employer can dictate when their employees take their leave. The way it works with my employer is that you request the annual leave that you require, and they either approve or reject it. It is stipulated this way in our company handbook, and none of my colleagues are experiencing the same difficulty I am, hence I suspect that his is just to do with my being on maternity leave. My issue is that they're not even entertaining any of my annual leave requests. I have a life and a family, I would like to keep my job, but not at the expense of having quality time as a family. Yes, I can continue to keep trying to contact her. And I will. But if I really cannot do anything else (as you say) then perhaps resignation is my only option. It just doesn't seem right.

Savvy_Sue

Well, you could raise a grievance, on the grounds that the requests for annual leave have not been responded to in a timely manner. It won't make you Ms Popular but it should force the issue.

Or, if there's an HR dept, you could contact them direct and ask if they are aware of any issues with leave being approved for those who only work weekends. It is possible the manager is unsure how many days' leave you're entitled to.

Savvy_Sue

OP, ignore the post above unless it's mine. It's not helpful, and it doesn't address your problem.

You've continued to accrue annual leave while you've been on maternity leave. Has your employer confirmed how much you've got, when you need to take it by, and what your p/t entitlement is in a 'normal' leave year?

Where I work, if you'd been f/t before taking m/l, you'd have a f/t entitlement until the day you returned to work, and we'd then calculate your p/t entitlement for the rest of the year.

It's not unusual for someone to have a LOT of leave to take and a short period in which to take it, depending on where in the leave year they started and finished their m/l. We generally encourage people to take a fair bit of that leave at the end of their m/l, just so that once they're back they haven't got a huge amount to take for the rest of the leave year. And if you were returning towards the end of the leave year, we'd also agree over what period you needed to take your leave.

You're back next week: will you see your manager then? If not, can you call in when she is there during the week? You shouldn't have to, but as I said, it's possible she's uncertain of your new entitlement. Not that that's really any excuse!

[Deleted User]

Having a baby is hardly a crime or sprung upon an Employer with little time is it. As it is normally maternity creates another job which maybe someone else may be grateful of an employment opportunity.

OP - I would write a formal letter, in the absence of not being able to log on company intranet, portal or publically on another system - no response then perhaps prepare to go above your Manager.

I know when I had this one time, it turned out the Team Leader at the time didn't know if they were remaining my team leader etc, as to why they didn't approve until very day before. I even remember a manager type calling up to extend holiday whilst already on it! and a new person going on holiday never to be seen again! (not me I hasten to add) So no matter who you are, or what's gone on there is jolly well always entitlement to leave. (Unless the good courtesy of being told otherwise which still the OP is entitled to have explained)

warby68

There is SOME reason she is ignoring you (Simplest? She isn't getting the emails)

Perhaps waiting until you are back or persisting with the phone would be better - its easy to ignore an email, direct contact not so much.

Also, and please try and take in the spirit intended, your posts are coming across with a rather large emphasis on your entitlement and what the company owes you. If you banged in 4 leave requests before you're even back you may just have got someone's back up. There's your 'rights' on one hand but that doesn't mean people don't prefer certain ways of doing things.

In the workplace (and this is with 30y experience and 2 maternity leaves of my own) there are still plenty of people who resent maternity benefits, the long periods of absence and the people returning after a perceived 'year off'. A bit of tact and diplomacy can go a long way.

At least you know you can leave if something really unpalatable is going on.

Cupcakey

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

OP, ignore the post above unless it's mine. It's not helpful, and it doesn't address your problem.

You've continued to accrue annual leave while you've been on maternity leave. Has your employer confirmed how much you've got, when you need to take it by, and what your p/t entitlement is in a 'normal' leave year?

Where I work, if you'd been f/t before taking m/l, you'd have a f/t entitlement until the day you returned to work, and we'd then calculate your p/t entitlement for the rest of the year.

It's not unusual for someone to have a LOT of leave to take and a short period in which to take it, depending on where in the leave year they started and finished their m/l. We generally encourage people to take a fair bit of that leave at the end of their m/l, just so that once they're back they haven't got a huge amount to take for the rest of the leave year. And if you were returning towards the end of the leave year, we'd also agree over what period you needed to take your leave.

You're back next week: will you see your manager then? If not, can you call in when she is there during the week? You shouldn't have to, but as I said, it's possible she's uncertain of your new entitlement. Not that that's really any excuse!

Thank you!

Yes, it's similar at my work. I'm still classed as f/t until I go p/t which is on the day I return to work. I have about 2 weeks from last year and it was agreed that I would carry all my outstanding holiday over. I should actually have used it up before commencing ML but my line manager (who has since left) got that wrong but they are going to honour it. I should have about 16 days in total this year (4 months f/t and 8 months p/t) plus about 10 from last year, so apprx. 26 although this hasn't been confirmed.

I would happily take some of my AL at the end of ML, so now. But they're not agreeing to this, or anything else. It's just so odd. My first day back is this coming Saturday. I may have to drop by before then. It's such a drag. I think you're right that she is uncertain of my new entitlement, but she only has to make a phone call or two to check. I work for one of the UK's biggest employers, all of that stuff is worked out for her by HR and should then be accessible to her on the intranet. She did confess at one point that she wasn't sure what to do and asked me to speak to the manager higher up than her, who ran through everything and then told her what to do. She still isn't doing it. It's so disheartening, I don't want to leave my baby anyway and they're making it even harder.

Thank you for your advice.

Cupcakey

Deleted%20User wrote: »

Having a baby is hardly a crime or sprung upon an Employer with little time is it. As it is normally maternity creates another job which maybe someone else may be grateful of an employment opportunity.

OP - I would write a formal letter, in the absence of not being able to log on company intranet, portal or publically on another system - no response then perhaps prepare to go above your Manager.

I know when I had this one time, it turned out the Team Leader at the time didn't know if they were remaining my team leader etc, as to why they didn't approve until very day before. I even remember a manager type calling up to extend holiday whilst already on it! and a new person going on holiday never to be seen again! (not me I hasten to add) So no matter who you are, or what's gone on there is jolly well always entitlement to leave. (Unless the good courtesy of being told otherwise which still the OP is entitled to have explained)

Aah thanks Keep Calm! You're right. Perhaps sending a formal letter in the good old fashioned post will get more attention than my emails do.

And yes, even if she is trying to sort something out, I'd like to know about it. If she kept me updated and told me she had things to sort then at least I would know where she stands. Every time I see her, she says she'll be in touch on a particular day but she never is. It's so frustrating when you want to maintain a good working relationship with them! We get on well, and I'd like it to stay that way.

Cupcakey

warby68 wrote: »

There is SOME reason she is ignoring you (Simplest? She isn't getting the emails)

Perhaps waiting until you are back or persisting with the phone would be better - its easy to ignore an email, direct contact not so much.

Also, and please try and take in the spirit intended, your posts are coming across with a rather large emphasis on your entitlement and what the company owes you. If you banged in 4 leave requests before you're even back you may just have got someone's back up. There's your 'rights' on one hand but that doesn't mean people don't prefer certain ways of doing things.

In the workplace (and this is with 30y experience and 2 maternity leaves of my own) there are still plenty of people who resent maternity benefits, the long periods of absence and the people returning after a perceived 'year off'. A bit of tact and diplomacy can go a long way.

At least you know you can leave if something really unpalatable is going on.

She's getting the emails. I sent her an email with my return to work date, and included a holiday request in the same email. They asked me to do this. They flat out told me to give them 8 weeks notice of my return to work, and they asked me to include any AL requests. So I did. She confirmed my return to work date, no mention of the holiday.

I've done nothing wrong. What are you implying? That I submit my leave requests attached to a bunch of roses? It's unfortunate that you think I believe I'm entitled. It's hard for me to disagree with you that this isn't about what the company owes me, because that's exactly what this post is about, annual leave. They owe me annual leave and I would like to use it, as per my contract and the company's own rules.

It's interesting that you mention tact and diplomacy. It works both ways, doesn't it?

Comms69

Cupcakey wrote: »

She's getting the emails. I sent her an email with my return to work date, and included a holiday request in the same email. They asked me to do this. They flat out told me to give them 8 weeks notice of my return to work, and they asked me to include any AL requests. So I did. She confirmed my return to work date, no mention of the holiday.

I've done nothing wrong. What are you implying? That I submit my leave requests attached to a bunch of roses? It's unfortunate that you think I believe I'm entitled. It's hard for me to disagree with you that this isn't about what the company owes me, because that's exactly what this post is about, annual leave. They owe me annual leave and I would like to use it, as per my contract and the company's own rules.

It's interesting that you mention tact and diplomacy. It works both ways, doesn't it?

Careful, what if the only A/L you get authorised is every other Wednesday from now until end of the year (or however much you have accumulated).


And no tact and diplomacy doesn't work both ways. You want something, they don't.