Return to work post maternity leave - advice please

[Zara84]

Hi
I am on my 2nd mat leave within 2 years (2under 2) I am due back at work September this year and have been extremely anxious due to the following: so when I returned from Mat leave (pregnant) I did work for about 6 months before heading off to my 2nd mat leave and during those months I had a few issues with my replacement who they have kept on for the course of my 2nd mat leave- she made a lot of changes to the way I manage things and was clearly told that I would take the lead for my 6 months back but we kept locking heads. Anyways she was given the task of getting me a leaving do sorted and gift (standard for any colleague who goes on leave) this never happened. She is at a different stage in her life has a teenage son whereas I have 2 year old and baby. She kept saying how I need to focus on kids and this time will never cme back just before I went on leave and kept questioning me on whether I thought I would return or not ( I understand she wants the role as it is a promotion for her but I cannot afford to not work)

In Addition to this one of our colleagues that I was v friendly with has now become teh team head and I have heard she is now also the replacement colleagues mentor, she used to be v friendly with me but hasn’t messaged me once during this Mat leave to ask how I am
( I have messsged a few times in our team
whasapp group) I genuinely feel like they would prefer if I left… I am anxious now as I have been with the company for 10 years and now am
at a good grade with real prospects to move into management on my next role up…I plan to propose working 4 days a week vs 5 or 4.5 on week one and 4 days week 2 basis. I am worried they will use this as an excuse to try and make me leave or change roles ; bear in mind the replacement doesn’t work Fridays at moment.

any advise on how to best manage!

thanks

I’m sure you know this but to discriminate against your for taking maternity or similar is illegal. It doesn’t stop some people harbouring resentment or making you feel small. If you can, keep a record of the discriminatory comments and questions, especially if they come from your manager. If they try and force you out of your role they will need to have valid reasons and need to be able to prove it was nothing to do with maternity if it was taken to a tribunal.

You are also entitled to be considered for promotion regardless of maternity, you are also permitted to put in a flexible working request per 12 month period, but they can turn this down for ‘business reasons’ which is a bit of a catch all. Half a day a week isn’t asking much though, as a senior manager I would be unlikely to turn it down.

The above may not be anything you don’t already know, but I think a lot of it is the vulnerability of having young children and other’s ignorance and bad behaviour that destroys people’s confidence and worth. They should behave better.

@Wick55 thanks so much for your response. I think your right a lot of it my own anxiety and there has been a clear shift in their behaviours but at the end of the day I do know my rights and as you say it’s probably a lack of confidence at moment.