To return to work after ML with no intention of staying

[Ieattoomuchcake]

I am due to return to work in two months. I don't really want to go back but had convinced myself that I couldtry a three day week. Work have refused my request for a three day week but said I can do a four day week. I took advice on this and my solicitor told me I would have grounds for appeal, as they haven't given sufficient grounds for the refusal. For various reasons I don't want to go down the legal route.

So my plan is to go back for a month then hand in my notice. This month together with my notice period and accrued holidays will ensure I don't have to pay back enhanced maternity pay.

So, DD will have two weeks settling in at nursery and then 1-4 months actually at nursery depending whether my work want me to work my notice or not. I will have earned a decent amount of money and won't have to pay back the enhanced Mat pay.

If I can find another job 2-3 days a week I'll do that and DD will stay at nursery. If not I may have to take her out of nursery entirely depending on financials.

Does this sound bad? Bad for DD? Bad to my work (who I don't have much sympathy for based on them breaking the law re flexible working request- they do know the law and I'm fairly certain are deliberately flouting it because they know I wont kick up a stink)?

Anything ive not thought of?

Magicjamas are you sure it is easier to walk away?

I'm not sure how long you have worked for your employer but I wonder if there is another way you could approach this.

I sometimes think Flexible working requests and all their formality can pit employee against employer and vice versa.

Can you somehow look at a win - win situation.

To me it sounds like you need the money - can you look at it from a different perspective. Say that you will trial it but you are very concerned, that you value your career role, that you are in a position of being a provider and have children and yourself to support.

I just worry that you do not have any real emergency money to fall back on (tell me to butt out if I am wrong).

Could you go to them and say that you would be willing to train up someone on a part-time basis to job share your role.

Could you come up with an innovative solution.

Part-time roles can be hard to come by and people might jump at the chance.

You could request the company advertise directly to save on recruitment fees.

OP It sounds as though you are ok with not going back to work - but if you did go back I wonder if there was also another way for you to approach it.

Sometimes you might need to bypass HR go straight to a Senior Manager - present a business case, stand your ground and try see your request from a number of different perspectives.

Babygiraffe Many would see a four day week as a positive - those who work a 6 day week within 5 days. I think it depends on your level and whether you have any real impact on your flexible working/time management.

Yanbvu- I went back to work just for the tkme I needed to avoid paying back maternity pay. But I was upfront and handed in my notice in the sane meeting that I discussed return to work. I had worked out I wouldn't get the part time hours I wanted so there was no way I was staying full time. My employer was very fair to me so I owed it to him to be upfront.