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Leaving job during maternity leave

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  • 07-06-2017 12:18pm
    #1
    cleanslate
    Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭


    Hi, I am already in my last month of maternity leave and my employer will not give me reduced hours/part time/short week - even using parental leave. I am handing in my (month's) notice but will not have 1 full month maternity leave left as notice.
    I am wondering 2 things:
    1. Will I have return to work for the few days? I have no one to mind my baby so I can't leave her.
    2. Can I send in a letter or do I have to make an appointment to give notice. Thanks.


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    #2
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    A letter should suffice, there is no rule that notice has to be face to face. An email is fine, and while a text message is legally OK too, it doesn't look very good. I'd be inclined to ring your boss and say it over the phone and then send the email straight after. I've had to do this before.

    Note that if you have taken six months of maternity leave, you have accrued ten days annual leave in that time. So you could note in your letter that with their agreement you will take any extra days as annual leave.

    Ultimately you don't have to return to work for those last few days, and they're not going to want you to.

    So take the following approach;

    1. Tell them your last day will be the last day of your maternity leave.
    2. If they don't accept this, give them the minimum notice and tell them you'll cover the shortfall with your accrued annual leave.
    3. If they don't accept this (they don't have to), then just ring in sick to cover the last couple of days. The worst they can do is not pay you for those days.


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    #3
    jlm29
    Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    Have you taken your unpaid maternity leave as well as your paid? If you're due unpaid you can use that in lieu of notice?


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    #4
    jlm29
    Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    jlm29 wrote: »
    Have you taken your unpaid maternity leave as well as your paid? If you're due unpaid you can use that in lieu of notice?

    Also, you'll be entitled to bank holidays as well as annual leave, so maybe those combined will cover the shortfall!


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    #5
    cleanslate
    Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭cleanslate


    Sorry I am in my last month of unpaid mat leave and holiday leave included so final, final month. I wasn't paid during any leave so I won't have to pay anything back. Sorry, I should have been more clear. Thank you for the advice though. Ringing in sick is a good idea though as I can't go back without someone to look after baba.
    Just pre-empting anything they might do to make it difficult. Thanks


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    #6
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,913 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    I did it last year around same time of mat leave...rang employer to let them know situation and then sent in letter as attachment to email.My preference would have been to hand over letter in person but it didn't work out so they agreed to email.
    They told me not to worry about coming back to office as I literally would have been showing my face and filling time....for the sake of two weeks or something there was no point as I would have been useless.
    I'm not 100% clear from you what your leave situation is but basically put a resignation date in your letter that coincides with the last day of your leave.But do discuss with your employer first, just out of courtesy.


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