in June 2024 Babies 🇬🇧

Leaving job before maternity ends

So I’m just looking for some advice from anyone who’s done this already because all the information I’m finding online is contradictory. I’m really hoping to leave my job (and get another one) before my maternity leave ends in June. I’ve had so many issues while I was pregnant and during maternity leave that the idea of going back to the company gives me night terrors. I was paid a couple of months enhanced pay and I’m supposed to go back for 6 months otherwise I’ve got to pay it all back. I’ve been told that I can use my accrued holiday pay that I should get paid when I resign to pay this off??? I’ve worked it out and should have just about enough to do this but now I’m reading online that you can’t do this?? Has anyone done this? Or something similar? I don’t want to go back at all and am planning on using the last month of my maternity leave as my notice period to avoid going back at all, is this allowed? I’m honestly so confused and citizens advice seems to be extremely difficult to get ahold of to ask.

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I'd call Acas to ask this, although I've never heard of being able to do this before tbh.

I’ve never heard of it either, it may be awkward but speaking to your HR/Payroll would probably be best, unless you’ve got it written in your contract anywhere!

I don’t see why you can’t use your AL to pay it. You are entitled to that pay so if you handed in your notice before you had a chance to use your AL, they will have to pay you. They also can’t make you end your Mat leave early to use your holiday. I would say it would be best to speak to HR and ask them about it. but if you wanted to try your luck, you could always speak to HR about the reasons why you don’t want to return and see if they will allow you to leave without paying the enhanced pay back. It will be cheaper for them then you taking them to court around unfair/ discrimination etc pregnancies related.

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