unpaid maternity leave query

I have a query re unpaid maternity leave - what is the procedure regarding informing the employer?

Can you request for example 8 weeks initially and then decide to take up second 8 weeks or do you have to request the full amount you want initially?

Any use?

CitizensInformation - Maternity leave

Maybe there's also something on www.employmentrights.ie or www.entemp.ie but I can't find it easily...

yes, I've been to all the usual sources of government info and can't find an answer to this specific question re taking unpaid leave.

Hi Snowdrop,

I could be wrong on this but it may vary on this depending where you work. I am currently on unpaid maternity leave and had to request my additional unpaid leave before i left on maternity leave, they said i could let them know 4 weeks anytime before i wanted to return to work once i did this....

why don't you contact your HR department and ask them?

I was asked about this today in work. I am due to start maternity leave on 23rd April and my boss wanted to know why I hadnt filled in the dates for unpaid leave. You are not required to tell them until 4 weeks before the unpaid leave is due to start. Obviously if you know earlier it helps them to know earlier but they can't force you to decide as the law states the minimum notice period is 4 weeks. I asked in my HR dept and they said I can decide to take some of the leave and as long as I let them know 4 weeks before the remainder of the leave is due to start there will be no problem.