Employment Law query

[buggyqueen]

I'm wondering if someone can help. I have returned from work 2 months ago following maternity leave of a year to be faced with a big restructure. I have been told that I have to be interviewed for two jobs - one at the same grade and one a grade lower. I have had the interview for the job at the same grade but was unsuccessful. I am yet to have the interview for the job at the lower grade but it will happen soon. I have also applied for 2 jobs at higher grades and one at the same grade I'm on and not been shortlisted for any of them. I should also tell you that I was on maternity leave for 9 months, I then returned for 9 months and went on maternity leave again for a year. During my return between pregnancies I was asked to work in a project role and I did not carry out my old job.

The point is, I feel at a disadvantage, I know there is someone who is on maternity leave at the moment and she has been slotted into a position without interview but because I'm back at work I have had to go through interviews despite not feeling up to scratch and having not done my 'proper' job for about 3 years.

Is this fair or is there anything I can do about it?

[buggyqueen]

bump

[LucindaCarlisle]

Your "bump" has gone now, hasnt it?

[DancingHippoOnAcid]

Unfortunately, as this redundancy situation has occured after the end of your maternity leave I am pretty sure that you do not have any special right to be given priority over any available vacancies.

I am not an employemnt law specialist, though, so hopefully one of the experts around here will post soon.