Another 'returning to work after maternity leave and feeling done over' thread!

[Feeldoneover]

Hi

Have namechanged because I'm paranoid

Right - I need some views on what has happened to me - this is going to be a bit long so please bear with me!

I work for the NHS. Up to 7 months before I went on M/L I was working on one pay band. Then I was asked to act up and was then paid at 2 bands higher than my substantive post. So if I was on Band X to start I was then paid at band Z. This acting up arrangement continued till I went on Maternity Leave in last year - so for nearly 7 months. All the time I have been off I have been paid at Band Z rates. Last Friday I went to see my managers about my return to work.

1. They asked me when I was due back (I thought they would have worked this out)
   2)They told me the post I had acted up into had disappeared in the departmental changes over the year.
   
2. They proposed 2 potential Band Z roles that would be forthcoming. 1 - role A would be very attractive for me - basically what I acted up in to but with some extra responsibilities and staff to manage. But they were very clear that they wanted a full time role. Now when returning to work and roles was mentioned before I went on M/L I said I would want to do 4 days only and was told that wouldn't be a problem. Well now it is apparently. The second role - role B is also very attractive but again they say they need full time coverage - but it could be a job share - so I could do half a week.
   
3. Which ever post I am interested in - I will have to apply and interview for.
   
4. Numerous references were made in our conversation by them - to balance, to their heavy workload, to stress, to the amount that has changed since I've been away. It was conveyed as them being concerned for my well being - which in my calm moments I think they are - but in my paranoid moments I start thinking that I won't get either of these roles because they don't think I can hack it? And that they were in fact trying to put me off?
   
5. My other option is to revert back to my orginal band x role - which is a salary difference of nearly £3000. And obviously I feel it is a step backwards.
   
   What on earth am I going to do? I went in to work thinking that it would be a question of looking at my skills and working together to agree a role that would fit. I thought I had earnt that much credit. But it seems that it's just a case of my applying for the roles they have - with no gurantee of anything except being back where I was nearly two years ago! There's no guarantee actually that either of the two band Z roles will be sanctioned to proceed to appointment by the powers that be! I don't know what to do, it all feels bloody unfair and my childcare costs and arrangements are spinning round my head like merry-go-rounds. I'm supposed to be thinking about it - and I just feel panic-stricken - and really angry that this uncertainty is going to cloud me last months of M/L. Any views?

[indiechick]

I know where you're coming from, I also work for the NHS.
I think realistically you have to budget for the lower band and assume you're going back to that role, then anything else is a bonus. Go for the role you fancy most, but don't assume it can be done in four days, however you could do it for six months, then request a four day week. I did this and they said yes immediately.
You're acting up experience won't be wasted, you can put it on your CV and talk it up at the interview.
Yes, it is unfair, but unfortanately I think there's little you can do.

[Feeldoneover]

thanks - it's good to read someone agreeing it doesn't feel fair!

[Feeldoneover]

bump for anyone else's view?

[Squiffy]

It may seem uinfair to you but I think they are trying their best. They are showing concern (tick) they have looked at options (tick) they have found away of accomodating your wish to return part time via a job-share option etc etc. I really think they have done their utmost. Finding a role that suits perfectly a 4 day week is difficult and most employers would just try to squeeze a 5 day week into 4 days, which would have been awful for you.

And you may well find that you might not enjoy the stresses of trying to keep up with a really demanding job when you initially return - the first few months are hellish as you adjust. Better by far to build yourself back into the role than try to take on too much at once...

I think you should try to keep a positive frame of mind, head back and see how things go. My suggestion would be to suggest you take on role B but ask that you try to do the whole role on a 4 day basis and they delay hiring the other half for a month or so to see if this works (and if it does that they keep it as a 4 day job for you), or you ask for role B as a 2.5 day jobshare and ask for another part time job (maybe at the lower level) in addition, to bring up the hours to a 4 day basis. The more flexible youi are with them the more flexible they will be with you.

[flowerybeanbag]

I'm sorry feelingdoneover I am struggling to muster up huge amounts of sympathy for you at the moment. I'm afraid comments like 'thinking it would be a question of looking at my skills and working together to agree a role that would fit' irritate me slightly, and you sound a bit peeved that you can't just say you are coming back 4 days a week as well..... Maybe it's the way you've phrased it but it sounds as though you are cross because they haven't created a role for you which is a promotion on a permanent basis, at the salary you want, to fit your skills and to fit your requirement to work 4 days a week.

Apologies if I am misunderstanding but it does come across a bit like that unfortunately.

I am assuming your acting up into another role before your maternity leave was just that, a temporary arrangement to cover sickness or pending recruitment or similar, with you reverting to your permanent post? You are entitled to return after maternity leave on the same terms and conditions as you would have been on if you were not absent, so I am assuming you are not querying the fact that they are expecting you to apply if you want a promotion from your permanent post?

Assuming that is the case, I think your employers are being entirely reasonable. You can go back to your permanent role no problem. But, anticipating that you will see this as a step back, your employers have identified two other roles that you can opt to apply for. Presumably as you have acting up experience at that level you should be in a good position to apply for one or both roles?

I do think you are a bit unreasonable to feel quite so angry. Have a think about the two roles that have been identified, you could apply for one, then put in a flexible working request to reduce the hours, if you can come up with tasks that don't need to be done, different ways of working more efficiently, etc, to justify a reduction in hours. Or you may have to compromise on your 4 days a week requirement, which is not as easy to accommodate as a job share or similar.

I'm sorry if that's not helpful, I'm not sure really whether you were looking for people to say 'ooh that's outrageous' or honest opinions, but there's mine for what it's worth.

[Feeldoneover]

Thanks for the views. It's good to see it through others eyes. I have now spent nearly a week fretting about this and am just going to have to get on with it. I'm not angry with work as such - just angry that I now have to deal with this uncertainty when also contemplating leaving my baby in someone else's care - frankly I was struggling enough with that. Rightly or wrongly I thought I was looking at a different situation. I'd planned for that situation when looking at where to leave him, how many hours etc - now I am going to have to rethink. I feel a bit sad now - and very stupid but I suppose it's good to at least have the options I've got. Thanks for the kick up the backside!

[flowerybeanbag]

How long have you got til you have to go back feeldoneover? I know what you mean about it being difficult having to adjust your thinking, particularly when you are taking a big step going back to work and leaving your baby as it is. So I do have plenty of sympathy really , but I did think a bit of a reality check might be a good idea as well. It doesn't make your problem any less valid at all, but relatively speaking, you are in a good position. Just not as good as you thought!

You do have options and hopefully you have time to consider them all properly, decide what the best thing to do is, and get your head round it so it isn't so much of a trauma when the time comes as it seems at the moment.

[Feeldoneover]

I've got 3 months - which is loads really isn't it. Thaks for the sympathy as well but really a large whack with a cricket bat is more in order I think. Felt so sorry for myself earlier - feel weirdly better now though Bloody hormones!

Need to blame the hormones otherwise I'd have to conclude I'm totally nuts!

[flowerybeanbag]

Yep, put it down to the hormones, I reckon! So I won't get out the cricket bat just yet...

3 months is plenty of time to mull it over and adjust, in the meantime don't fret about it and enjoy spending lots of time with your baby.