New job - Enhanced Mat Leave

My new job has a list of benefits which includes enhanced mat leave which they sent me with my contract. However, the mat leave policy wasn’t in my contract? I asked for the employee handbook at they said they don’t have one but is there a specific policy I want to look at. I obvs didn’t ask for the mat leave one as I don’t want them to know I want to get pregnant soon, but what would you do here? A friend of mine also said if it’s not written in your contract you’re not entitled to it. Is that true also? Feels like a minefield. I just want to start a new job and have a baby in the future, why is it so hard.
Like
Share Mobile
Share
  • Share

Show your support

I think it's more than reasonable to ask what their mat leave policy is and ask to see a document containing it. It would be against the law for them to discriminate against you for being pregnant or planning to get pregnant. Plus if you've already been offered the job they wouldn't be able to take it off you now anyway. I would personally ask to see their mat leave policy or mention it was listed in the job description as it would be awful to find out later down the line this wasn't the policy in place anymore or something. Good luck in your new job

I would ask for all the policy’s as you want to check them all before signing your contract and check the policy’s fall in line with your ethics etc xx

A simple, subtle approach here would be to ask for the policies that relate to benefits x, y, z that they shared - that way you’re not singling out mat leave, but you are getting written confirmation It’s not a problem that it’s not in your contract- it’s not uncommon for your contract not to specifically mention all the different benefits and for you to still be entitled to them nonetheless. However, the company will be able to change anything that’s not specified in your contract at their discretion, so the enhanced leave allowance could change before you get pregnant, and the new policy would apply

Read more on Peanut