What Happens If I Don’T Return To Work After Having A Baby?

Upon returning to work after maternity leave, you will continue to build up your holiday entitlement until your leave or notice period ends. You won’t have to pay back any statutory maternity pay, but if you have been paid any enhanced benefits from your employer, you may have to pay these back if you don’t return. Factors to consider include your financials, benefits, social life, career progression, goals, and more.

Over 50 women return to work after their maternity leave, and most feel guilty about returning to work. This transition can be stressful, guilt-inducing, and exhilarating all at once. To make the return a smooth transition, you must tell your employer at least 8 weeks before you’re due to return to work if you want to stay on maternity leave longer than planned or return to work sooner than.

In the US, there is no maternity leave program or policy, so all you may be entitled to is unpaid leave under FMLA. If you decide not to return to work during your maternity leave, you will still be entitled to receive statutory maternity pay. If you decide not to return to work, simply give your employer notice as required in your employment contract.

Returning to work may provide more financial support, such as money towards nursery fees and money towards your child’s education. However, it’s not recommended to return to work if your baby will barely be awake for 12 hours. If you are not returning to work, your employer may deduct any occupational maternity pay that you owe from any outstanding wages or holiday pay. With the right support system and resources, you can confidently prepare for going back to work after being home with your baby.

Can you go on the sick straight after maternity leave?

If you are going to return to work after 52 weeks of maternity leave, you do not need to give any notice of return. You can go back to work on the day you are due back and are entitled to your normal pay. You can take annual leave or sick leave if needed. If you want to return before the end of your maternity leave, you must give your employer at least 8 weeks’ notice of the date you will be returning. If you do not give this notice and just turn up at work before the end of your maternity leave, your employer can send you away for up to 8 weeks or until the end of your leave, whichever is earlier.

If your employer did not write back to you within 28 days of the date you gave notice to take your maternity leave stating the date that your 52 week maternity leave will end, they cannot insist on you giving 8 weeks’ notice to return to work early. You should still give as much notice as possible to help you and your employer plan your return to work.

If you decide not to return to work, you can get SMP and MA for 39 weeks even if you do not plan to go back to work or if your employment ends during the SMP/MA period, such as if you are made redundancy. You do not have to pay SMP or MA back if you decide not to return to work. If your employer has given you extra contractual maternity pay, you only have to repay it if that was agreed in advance or specifically stated in your maternity policy.

If you do not want to return to work and need to repay your occupational maternity pay, you can ask to repay any company maternity pay in reasonable instalments, taking account of your household income and outgoings. You may find it helpful to speak to a debt adviser who can help you negotiate with your employer and agree a reasonable repayment plan.

If you are unable to return to work after your maternity leave, you can take sick leave as usual. However, once you are well enough to return to work, you cannot stay off work after your maternity leave has ended, as you will lose your right to return to work if you do not go back at the end of your 52 weeks’ leave.

Ask your employer if you can take annual leave immediately after your maternity leave, which is entitled to at least 28 days paid annual leave. Your normal holiday entitlement continues to accrue during maternity leave, so you may have some holiday owing to you. Annual leave should be agreed with your employer in the normal way and you should not be treated less favorably because you have been away on annual leave.

If you returned to work early and have not used up all your maternity leave/pay but now wish to take some more leave, you could give notice to take shared parental leave. Shared parental leave can be taken by either parent but must be taken within the first year after your baby’s birth. You may be eligible for Universal Credit if you take a period of unpaid leave, depending on your household income, housing costs, and number of dependants.

You are also entitled to urgent unpaid leave to care for a dependant in an emergency. The leave can be used if a dependant falls ill, gives birth, is injured, or there is a sudden problem with arrangements for the dependant (e. g., if your childminder falls ill). You are only entitled to take the time off necessary to deal with the emergency and to make arrangements for the care of the dependant.

If you have been on maternity leave and sick leave for a long time, you may have accrued a large amount of leave. You can take annual leave during sick leave, so you could ask to receive some paid holiday during your sick leave. You are entitled to carry forward 20 days annual leave if you cannot take it because of sick leave.

You cannot take annual leave during maternity leave, but you can end your maternity leave early, giving at least 8 weeks’ notice to end your maternity leave early and agreeing your annual leave with your employer in the usual way. It is a good idea to talk to your employer early in your pregnancy to agree when you will be taking your annual leave so that you can both plan in advance.

The government advises that employers should allow up to 28 days of statutory leave for employees who cannot take all their annual leave in the leave year due to absence on maternity leave, shared parental leave, or other types of parental leave. If your employer offers more than the statutory minimum of 28 days annual leave, it is up to your employer how much of your contractual annual leave (over and above the statutory 28 days) you can carry forward.

If you are not well enough to return to work at the end of maternity leave, you are entitled to receive sick pay if you are not well enough to return to work. You should follow your employer’s normal sickness reporting procedures at the end of maternity leave. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid after four consecutive days of sickness absence to employees who have earnings of at least £123 per week (April 2024 – April 2025) in the previous 8 weeks.

You are not entitled to SSP for any period of sickness that began during the 39 week SMP period (or 18 weeks if you were not entitled to SMP). If your period of sickness begins after the end of the 39 or 18 week SMP period, you may qualify for SSP if your earnings were high enough. If you claim SSP after the end of your 39 week Statutory Maternity Pay period, SMP counts as earnings. Maternity Allowance does not count as earnings.

If you do not qualify for SSP, your employer should give you form SSP1. If you do not qualify for SSP, you should get advice from your local Jobcentre Plus or Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

Once your maternity leave has ended, you are treated as if you are “back at work”, even if you are not well enough to actually go into work. You are entitled to take sick leave and should be treated in the same way as any other employee who is off sick.

You are protected against pregnancy/maternity discrimination throughout pregnancy until the end of your maternity leave period (up to 52 weeks or until you return to work, if earlier). For pregnancy/maternity discrimination, you need to show that you were treated unfavorably because of your pregnancy, pregnancy-related illness, or absence on maternity leave. You can also claim pregnancy/maternity discrimination where a decision was taken during your protected period even where it was implemented after the end of your maternity leave.

What if I don t want to go back to work after having a baby?

The decision to return to work full-time after a baby, stay at home, or choose a part-time schedule is up to you and your family. It’s not permanent, so you can change your course if needed. Join The Mom Project Talent Community to browse mom-friendly job opportunities in the marketplace. The decision is not wrong, and you can reset your course if needed. The HubSpot Call-to-Action Code (if lte IE 8) end HubSpot Call-to-Action Code.

Can I resign while on leave?

Henderson proposes that, when on annual leave, the optimal time to resign on good terms is either before or after the leave period. Hottot recommends that, when resigning, one should consider the other person’s perspective.

How to not feel guilty about going back to work after maternity leave?

Going back to work after maternity leave can be a challenging transition for many women. It’s essential to reach out to your support circle, including your partner, friends, and other working moms, to discuss your feelings, especially if you’re feeling sad, guilty, or overwhelmed. Even in the best circumstances, the transition can be challenging due to logistics like childcare, coordinating schedules with your partner, and planning pumping. The range of emotions you may experience, from anxiety to anticipation to guilt, can be overwhelming.

Despite the overwhelming details and feelings, millions of women have managed the transition, and you can too. Here are some tips to help you get back into the swing of things and feel more supported during this challenging time.

Can I resign while on maternity leave?

Maternity leave employees cannot give notice of termination during this period, as it allows them to recover from childbirth and care for their newborn. After the leave, normal rules for notice periods and termination apply. Both parties can initiate the termination process under usual employment laws and regulations. It is advisable for both parties to consult their employment contract, labor laws, and relevant policies or agreements to ensure the termination process is conducted in accordance with the law and provided terms.

What happens if I don’t go back to work after maternity leave?

If you decide not to return to your job, your contract will specify the amount of notice you need to give your employer. If there is no contract, give at least a week’s notice. Ensure you receive paid for any holiday you have left, including the time spent on maternity leave. Check if you need to pay back any maternity pay, as contractual maternity pay may only be kept if you return to work. Statutory maternity pay or Maternity Allowance won’t be required if you don’t return to work.

Can you leave straight after maternity?

In the event of one’s decision to terminate employment during or subsequent to maternity leave, the customary resignation process, inclusive of the requisite notice period, must be adhered to. It would be prudent to consider any handover arrangements and utilise your Keeping in Touch (KIT) days for this purpose. In the event that an employer offers enhanced maternity pay, the individual may be required to repay a portion or the entirety of the enhanced amount in the event that they fail to resume their position or depart shortly following the conclusion of their maternity leave.

Can I quit my job during maternity leave?

It is not uncommon for an employee to resign during maternity leave, provided that they have fulfilled the terms of their contract or reached an agreement with their employer. It is not mandatory to work during the notice period; one may choose to continue on maternity leave instead.

Why is it so hard to go back to work after maternity leave?

Postpartum depression or anxiety can affect US mothers returning to work, making it difficult to cope with leaving their infants in the care of someone else. Dr. Cassidy suggests that this mental health issue is common during the transition back to work for working moms. Couples must navigate changing roles and adapt their expectations, as the postpartum period often leads to gender norms and expectations that are hard to break out of. This can make it difficult for mothers to redistributing labor and coping with the challenges of returning to work.

Can you end maternity leave early?

In order to return to work at an earlier point in time, it is necessary to provide your employer with a minimum of eight weeks’ notice. Should you fail to do so, your employer may insist on waiting until the aforementioned eight weeks have elapsed. In the event that an employee elects to terminate their employment, they are obliged to provide their employer with the requisite notice period. Should one wish to modify the return date, it is also necessary to provide the requisite notice to the employer.

Can you quit after coming back from maternity leave?

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires employers to reinstate employees to their previous roles following a leave of absence. However, this obligation ceases upon the employee’s notification of their intention to not return, which may result in the loss of health insurance, benefits, and employer-provided paid leave programs.