Confused about what to say.... (return to work gubbins)

[Firestone]

I'm going back to work next month after a year of maternity leave (I have two DC, DS 3.5 and DD 11 months) I asked if in could reduce my days to two from three (my job share partner was happy to increase to three). It was agreed.

On Friday my manager emailed to say that my job share partner was seconded to a full time management role and would take half of our team with her (our team has two separate functions so easy to split). This will leave me with half our team to manage.

Now I'm fine with that except;

My manager has asked me to come up with plans for how my team could be supported when I'm not there, I could offer to respond to urgent phone calls (as long as I'm not swimming with the kids etc) and check my emails once a day in the afternoon, but I'd want that to be paid time and in addition to my two days or I won't have time to do everything else I need to at work, any thoughts?

Secondly, I am fairly sure that the part of the team I'll be managing is on it's way out due to funding issues, central gov cutting funding (I work for a local authority), but the part my job share partner is taking with her will remain, statutory service. If the worse happens could they make me redundant or could I argue my job still exists and is being done by my job share partner so we'd have to compete?!

Thank you for any advice anyone has

[Clint]

If a redundancy situation came about they would leagally need to identify a selection pool - in which case it sounds as if both you and your job share partner should be identified - if you have fulfilled the role that she currently undertakes and she has done yours in the past then you will both be possible candidates for redundancy if the role which you are now doing is made redundant.

It's a bit of a what if situation though - in the first instance I would discuss the concerns you have with your line manager and also point out that you feel that you are being put in a situation where you will be at risk of redundancy. In a local authority environment it might be enough to make them rethink their plans if they are gearing up for a restructure for the greater purpose of bringing about an efficiency saving at your detriment.

I would mention 'constructive' dismissal too in the same sentence as 'discrimination for being part time'.

[Firestone]

Thanks Clint, that's pretty much what I thought.

[flowery]

"I would mention 'constructive' dismissal too in the same sentence as 'discrimination for being part time'."

I really don't think that would help at this stage. There's no evidence of either. No one is at present trying to force the OP to become full time, and in fact they seem open to making her current hours work in the new structure. If she is dismissed later on in a redundancy situation it wouldn't be constructive dismissal anyway.

OP If your job share partner is moving and becoming full time, and your team is being split, firstly she is no longer your job share partner, and secondly it's a restructuring. You should really be consulted and in your shoes I would notify your manager that you believe the other half of the team should stay with you and the vulnerable half go with your job share partner to the new team as she will still have a job if they go.

if you do end up with the team being proposed and they do end up being cut, I can't see why they would need to include your ex job-share partner now working with a different team altogether, in a pool with you. If it's a specific team that's being cut and you are the only one managing that team and that's all you do, then imo it would be a pool of 1, unless perhaps there's a wider restructuring/redundancy programme happening at the same time.

That's why you need to make your concerns known now, request to be consulted in the restructuring of your team, and request that you keep the other half.