If you get paid only statutory maternity leave you do not have to return back to work once maternity leave ends as the government pay that money, even if you get paid from your employer, they claim that money back via HMRC. If you get enhanced maternity pay from your place of work, then the majority of companies require you to go back to work for a set period of time. Otherwise, they will want the enhanced payback. They can take this from any money owed to you for holidays, etc. You can't do that 3 months on another day as you will no longer be employed by your company. But, every company has different policies, so you'll have to check your companies policy to see what it says.
Depends on your company / contract. For me (civil servant) no. For my 2 friends in the NHS and my friend at KFC they have to return for X amount of months
I get enhanced pay so I must return for 12 weeks. Although it doesn't state that I must return to full time work like I was. So I am looking to go back part time and see if the department I work for has changed for the worse or not. If it has I'm changing departments asap.
I just notified my workplace that I’m not coming back after my mat leave is over had no issues and I don’t need to go back x
From the law's perspective, there's no requirement other than working your notice as agreed with your employer (you can use your accrued annual leave in part). If you’ve had additional mat leave pay above statutory, you may be liable to work a certain amount of time, though, as stated in your contract and company policy, or you'd have to pay it back. https://www.acas.org.uk/your-maternity-leave-pay-and-other-rights/returning-to-work-after-having-a-baby