Im unsure how to link pre ious threads but a few months ago I posted regarding issues with mt manager telling me I am expected to do a Flo time workload in part time hours. The situation is still ongoing.
I’m now currently 9 months into maternity leave due to return mid Feb. I submitted a flexible working request to reduce from 30 hours to 22.5 hours, I also asked in my request that a job share be considered or that I’m willing to explore alternative roles/redeployment in the trust for those hours. After the flexible working meeting in October, I was told verbally and that they couldn’t reduce hours I’m my current post but a role for 22.5 hours and the same band hours would be found and if one wasn’t found in time for my return date, then I would return to my current role in the meantime I would return on 22.5 hours. HR said she needed to clarify a few things but this was the agreed outcome and I relied on this and planned childcare around it. I felt like a huge weight was lifted and was so happy.
Then at a later meeting they reversed this and even though both manager and hr had been reassuring that this would be the outcome. My manager has also repeatedly said that because I applied for the job at 30 hours(it was initially advertised at 37.5 but prior to application I asked if 30 hours would be considered which they agreed) , I “agreed to do a full-time workload in part-time hours”, which I certainly never agreed to and wasn’t told. HR has been unhelpful, didn’t speak up in meetings where these things were said, and hadn't responded to earlier emails regarding the workload keeping them in the loop.
I appealed as my manager suggested I do, but the appeal panel which was a manger (someone I provide PA type support to) and hr manager said it wasn’t confirmed and that I must have “misheard/misunderstood”, (I’m certainly not stupid and I took what they said the same as any other reasonable person would) and that there are very few roles available and not to get my hopes up, so I’m fully expecting the outcome to be negative when I hear final decision at the end of the week. I’m extremely stressed, feel totally misled, and now have only a couple of months before returning with no clarity. It’s totally overshadowed the remaining months of my maternity leave. I’m a solo parent Monday - Friday and I’ve been honest and told them that working 30 houses while juggling other’s responsibilities isn’t feasible. Just looking for advice and seeing if anyone has been in a similar situation and has any advice? Sadly, I’m not in the union. I did contact them at the very start of this whole thing after an initial phone call with Manager, but sadly they are unable to help with this case.