Desperate for help regarding returning after maternity leave

[BertAndKhloe]

I have got myself in such a state regarding all this. I can't sleep or eat
When I was pregnant with DD I was very very anxious and convinced she would be stillborn.
I agreed to go back to work in September full time. When speaking to HR she said I could possibly go down to part time after the Christmas holidays (I'm a teacher). I assumed (stupidly) this message had been passed on to the head but it hasn't.
I have childcare arrangements until Christmas because I told my family that I would be able to go part time after that. My mum and partners mum who are helping cannot help after Christmas.
Also now that she is alive and her I would quite like to spend time with her. I feel I'm going to miss everything she does to be with other people's kids! DH is now working away 5 days a week which is unexpected.
Am I being unreasonable to write a letter asking to go part time after Christmas ?

No, not unreasonable.

If they can't accommodate you though, what then?

You still sound pretty anxious. Were you that way before the pregnancy?

I don't know
I guess she will have to go to a childminder. She's so little though.
I've been anxious my entire life

No of course not! You wouldn't be the first person to change their mind about work plans post baby, they are used to it. And you do have the right to ask. The worst they can do is say no. They might also consider a job share? There's also supply work if they say no.

You don't have to go back. Could you manage financially? I'm currently on maternity and not planning to go back. It will be a struggle but worth it.

You have the right to request part-time hours (on the assumption you meet certain criteria) but the school does not have to grant your request. You need to produce a solid business case why it is in the school's best interests to change your working hours. Simply arguing that you will miss seeing your baby grow up is not a strong business case, but arguing that the school will retain a motivated, experienced teacher is!

Secondly, consider the logistics of working part time. You will obviously have to take a substantial pay cut. Check which days would suit both you and your class - working every other day may not be feasible for example. How flexible will your childcare arrangements be if you need to change your days at some point in the future?

Why would you be unreasonable for requesting part time hours?

You were obviously a bit daft to have a chat to an HR person and because she said possibly you might be able to reduce your hours, assume that was a formal agreement to vary your contract. But you realise that.

Just put in a proper formal flexible working request, setting out the hours you want. It would be sensible to include in your request any business reasons you can think of why this would be good for the school (not for you), and it would also be very sensible to address the question of how the working pattern you want could be achieved without detrimental effect to the children. If you work in a primary school, would you suggest a job share, for example. Don't just ask for the hours you want and leave it to them to work out how to do it. If you present them with a solution to any concerns, it makes it much easier for them to say yes.

I can't see why it would be good for the school obviously I'm not going to say I want to work less hours because I miss my baby. The main reason is the childcare. She will have to be in daycare all day every day at seven months old. It breaks my heart. Like I said I was very poorly mentally when I was pregnant. I can't stress enough how convinced I was that she would die. P

But it's good for the school not to have to recruit a new full time teacher?

And for classes to keep continuity? Someone who has knowledge of the pupils etc?

It sounds like you're barely taking any mat leave at all if she'll be 7 months old at Christmas. You don't need to go back in September if you still have maternity leave outstanding, you can give 28 days notice of a change in return date and take your full maternity leave, then figure out what to do with your working hours.

Thank you for the ideas ety my brother in law works in HR so is helping me put my case together.
Jelly I only got mat allowance so can't afford anymore time off but I can afford to go part time as childcare would be family ect so wouldn't want much money for it luckily.

I just recently returned as a teacher and requested part time hours. Your school should have a form you fill in. When you apply you must state you are applying for flexible working because you have a child under 5 and are applying to care for said child. (I had to photocopy her birth certificate to send in) Your school (or council if it's a local authority school) will have 28 days to reply to your request. If they decline they must have a valid business reason.

My head teacher told me that no matter how much they need you they cannot break the law and schools actually don't have any valid business reasons for declining it. Are there any other teachers part time in your school? If so then a precedent has already been set and they will struggle to decline your request. I returned full time until summer and am going part time from August.

Hope that helps.

"When you apply you must state you are applying for flexible working because you have a child under 5 and are applying to care for said child."

Nope. If your school are demanding this they are breaking the law. Anyone with 26 weeks' service can request flexible working, and they don't have to have caring responsibilities, let alone restricted to a child under 5.

"Your school (or council if it's a local authority school) will have 28 days to reply to your request"

Nope. Only if their policy says so. Employers have three months to give a decision. Normally it would involve a response/hearing earlier than that, but the law says 3 months.

"My head teacher told me that... schools actually don't have any valid business reasons for declining it"

Wrong, and that's ridiculous. There are plenty of valid reasons a school could use. Otherwise they'd have to agree stupid requests like can I work 5 hours spread over 5 days a week, one hour a day. No one would make that request but ridiculous to think schools are obliged to agree every flexible working request.

"Are there any other teachers part time in your school? If so then a precedent has already been set and they will struggle to decline your request."

Again, no. Each request must be considered on an individual basis, and although it might help your application if a very similar request in similar circumstances has been granted previously and you can demonstrate that it works successfully, there is no such thing as precedent having to be followed in this area.

OP the above is why you're far better off asking for employment advice in the Employment topic, rather than AIBU.

Obviously anyone can apply for any reason they wish but the reason the OP is applying is because she has caring responsibilities for a child under 5 so that is the reason she would give. My council has a form where you just tick the reasons and send relevant documents. Best thing would be to speak to your own head teacher.

Just saying that my council needed to reply within 28 days (not that it happened I had to chase them as they are useless)

Schools do find it difficult to refuse (obviously your request should be sensible). When I looked at my council website only 1 flexible working request out of 340 had been declined that quarter and not in education. If the OP wants to work 1 hour a day then that clearly wouldn't work but I doubt that is what she would suggest.

Speak to HR or your head teacher.

Thank you all
I am planning to write a letter as I am worried about crying speaking to my head I have felt so fragile about this matter. Or would it be better to call/be face to face

But they can't insist you give a reason, that's the point I'm making! The reason is entirely irrelevant. You advised the OP that she 'must' follow the requirements of your own LA's out-of-date form. And assumed that because your LA have chosen a policy of guaranteeing a response of 28 days, that the same will apply to the OP.

And again, just because your own LA have agreed most flexible working requests does not mean "schools don't have any valid business reasons for refusing" as you stated.

Don't give legal advice as being fact if you don't know what you're talking about and can only speak about your own experience of a procedure with your own employer. Drives me mad when people do that and it happens frequently when people seeking employment law advice post in AIBU.

OP you need to put in a formal request. Your school may have a form you should use, but you need to check their policy, which may be your LA one, or another one, and see what you're supposed to do.

Of course YANBU to ask. Just make sure you do as good a job of your request as possible. And if they say no, start looking at other options. What about supply? You say you could afford to work part time, so think of ways to achieve that.

OP when is your current date your school believe you are returning?

End of July. I am happy to work full time until Christmas. It is afterwards that is the issue. Could I possibly unoffficaly ask HR if there is a request form or if I need a formal letter or is that not the etiquette?

Would the fact I'm working the first term
Full time be a positive or a negative?

Nobody can say that without knowing more about your individual school. I guess it shows some commitment and willingness to come back, but it doesn't have any impact on whether they can genuinely accommodate a part time teacher.

This is what I have so far:

I am writing to discussion of a possibility of transition from my full-time teaching position to a part-time(3 days a week) position. I have returned from Maternity leave and will need the time for childcare for my daughter. I am very willing to continue full-time employment up until 22nd of December 2017.
I am very flexible about which days I work and would like to work with the school to continue the best provisions for my class.

I am, as you know, fully committed to my role as a class teacher at x school. This request gives the school the advantage of retaining my proven skills, expertise and commitment while recognising my need to meet my childcare responsibilities. It also gives students the continuity that a familiar teacher provides.

I would like to thank you for the understanding you have shown over these past few months.I will work to ensure that all my documentation and paperwork is in place to ease the transition for my replacement - as well as be willing to help with the handover for my replacement should my request be successful.
Should you require clarification or have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 2222222222(phone number) or [email protected].
Thank you for giving my request your time and consideration. I believe I still have much to offer the school/college on a part-time basis and hope that I shall be permitted to do so, while maintaining my childcare responsibilities.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Any tips?
Ovbiously not my real email!

I'm just going back to work after maternity leave. You need to get your workplace policy on flexible working and look at the reasons they can give for declining it. They may have a form... make sure your supporting statement clearly explains/demonstrates how you can overcome the reasons they can refuse.

Do not talk about childcare etc focus on the business and your skills... if they have paid for training explain that too. Also talk to your union who can support you with this.

Also if you don't want to go back in September you don't have to - you can have up to a year off. Be prepared that your email may not constitute a formal request. Call her and get the policy asap

Can they sack me if they say I can't do part time?

No, but you would need to work FT.

Great childcare CAN be found, but FT teaching and all parenting Mon to Fri is likely to be stressful for you IMO.

Are you receiving professional help with your mental health? I would really recommend it, I have an anxiety condition and had a bad time returning to work, and in my case counselling really helped.

Did you actually speak to them initially about going part time at Christmas? (I mean your headteacher, not the council.) There might be someone else, who would like part time hours but hasn't got anyone to make up the remaining days. Budgets are tight and it would save them having to advertise and interview.

I'm returning in September as well, with more hours than initially planned but still part time. It's a compromise and it's temporary. If it doesn't work, we'll have to change it. I made it quite clear that I want to go part time because I want to spend time with my baby. I cannot focus on both home life and school to the extend that would be sufficient for me if I remained full time. Something has to give. There's no shame in that and I've done over a decade full time before having him. He's growing so quickly. Do your SLT have children? Mine were quite understanding about this and are actually trying to be helpful.
I don't think a lack of childcare is a valid reason, though. Childcare can be organised.
Speak to your headteacher and see what they say. They cannot sack you for asking. They also don't have to agree to part time, though.
If all else fails, you could see whether you can find a part time position somewhere else from January.