Use a short, practical email to confirm your planned return date and arrange a conversation about priorities or any specific workplace arrangements. The template below is adaptable; it is not a legal form, and asking about a preferred schedule does not by itself make that a formal request.
Sample email to send your manager
Subject: Planning my return on [date]
Hi [Manager’s name],
I hope you’re well. I’m getting in touch ahead of my planned return from maternity leave on [date]. I’m looking forward to being back and reconnecting with the team.
Could we arrange a short conversation before or during my first week to cover current priorities, any important updates, and how best to get up to speed? [If applicable: I would also like to discuss [specific working pattern or practical arrangement]. Please let me know whether we should handle this through a separate request or form.]
Thanks, and I look forward to speaking with you.
Best,
[Name]
What to include—and what to leave out
- State the return date you currently plan to work and say you intend to return.
- Ask for a short check-in about priorities, team updates, and onboarding back into your role.
- If you have a specific need, describe the arrangement you want to discuss and ask about the employer’s process. Keep it factual and actionable.
- You do not have to explain private health circumstances in this email. Acas says disclosure of a mental health condition to a manager is up to the employee and when they choose to disclose it. Acas guidance on returning to work.
If you need to change your return date in the UK
The eight-week written-notice rule applies when changing the planned date, not simply to routine confirmation of a date already notified. Acas says that to return early, give written notice at least eight weeks before the new return date; to extend maternity leave, give it at least eight weeks before the original return date. Check your contract and employer process as well. Acas: returning to work.
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UK employees generally have the right to return to the same job after up to 26 weeks of maternity leave. After more than 26 weeks, that same-job right continues unless there is a genuine reason it is not possible; if not, the employer must offer a suitable alternative role. These are UK rules; protections and notice requirements differ elsewhere. Acas explains return-to-work rights.
If you want a different working pattern
Separate a conversation with your manager from a formal request. In the UK, a statutory flexible-working request is the route for asking to change how you work, such as your hours. Check your employer’s procedure and specify the days, hours, start date, and whether the change is temporary or ongoing. Acas flexible-working guidance.
If you are breastfeeding
In the UK, tell your employer in writing before returning so it can prepare a suitable, safe environment. The Health and Safety Executive says the employer should assess risks and provide a suitable area for rest. A space for expressing milk should be private and hygienic; a toilet is not suitable. You can ask about a private space and practical arrangements in the email, without treating that discussion as a substitute for written notice. HSE guidance for new and expectant mothers at work and NHS guidance on breastfeeding and returning to work.
Keep-in-touch days are optional
If you want to work during maternity leave before your return, UK maternity-leave keeping-in-touch days are optional, require agreement from both you and your employer, and can total up to 10 days. Agree the work and pay beforehand. You do not need to use one just to send a routine email. GOV.UK: employee rights when on leave and Acas: keeping in touch during absence.
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Adapt the legal details to your location
The notice periods and job protections above are UK-specific. If you work elsewhere, check local employment law, your contract, and your employer’s policy before relying on them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers practical US breastfeeding-at-work advice, but it is not a source for UK employment rights or a complete statement of US employment law. CDC: tips for returning to work and breastfeeding.
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