returning to work-maternity and change of role

[CeceliaStrange]

My friend works in a supermarket in a skilled role which is highter paid than other departments, she was ft but would like to be pt on return. She will have taken the whole year.

Firstly she was told her department was over hours, her replacement was permanent. After discussion, stating her right to return to the same role, she was told she could return ft 'to the hours on the system' but not pt. Previously the ft hours involved all staff in this dept doing their shifts on a rota due to sharing very early starts (this is common across the stores). These hours on the system would make childcare impossible even if she did want to return ft, it's common practice to note down any hours in this dept for the sake of payroll. Staff previously met and agreed hours around each other. They say this is honouring her right to return to her job, but know this is a way of making it impossible. Additionally they refuse pt, saying there are no spare hours. Others are pt, if she was pt and her role was vacant it would extremely easy to recruit for the remaining hours.

They have offered pt in another dept, which is both lower paid and unskilled. Her skill is transferable to other places and makes her more employable.

Can anyone help with what her rights are, she doesn't want to end up stuck in a dead-end role.

She would happily return to another store also, this supermarket has A LOT of stores in driving distance!

[tallulah]

You really need flowery for this but AFAIAA they only have to give you back your own job if you go back after OML. Once you've been off longer than that they only have to give you an equivalent.