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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Returning to work

38 replies

Ireland234 · 06/04/2020 07:21

Just after some advise really

I've been persistently asking for work to confirm my return to work off maternity, they have confirmed I can go part time hours and I'm due back 1st of may.

If I do return to work as normal this would mean sending my DD to another house hold, to my mum who is high risk and then my sister who is working in the public sector. They would share the time.

Is this even allowed? Is it against the rules?.

It also concerns me that I'm putting her at risk by doing this.

But will work think I'm a complete dickhead now after persistently asking to start back then saying actually can I not return because I dont have suitable child care when I've been asking for confirmation. I just wanted to know if my part time hours were confirmed.

What should I do? Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
Ireland234 · 06/04/2020 07:22

My company is also refusing to furlough people. I've heard from staff with kids that they have to take it unpaid or go to work.

OP posts:
HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 06/04/2020 07:24

Your work isn’t going to give you an answer for that, it’s for you to decide and not them.

They can not advise you to return to work or not in the current circumstances you need to decide this.

dreamingwondering · 06/04/2020 07:24

Are you a keyworker? When does your maternity leave end?
If you aren't a keyworker then you should be working from home.

welldonejean · 06/04/2020 07:24

Where do you work?? Can they force you to come to an office when everyone have been told to WFH?

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 06/04/2020 07:24

Childcare is your responsibility not your employers.

DontStandSoCloseToMe · 06/04/2020 07:26

No it's not allowed. If you are a keyworker you can send her to nursery or a childminder if you can find one to take her, ours is closed to all children. We're both keyworkers and having to work opposite shifts, get up at five to do paperwork before looking after DS, work late in the evenings etc because his grandmother who is fit and in her fifties isn't allowed to care for him as she usually would two days a week

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 06/04/2020 07:27

Can you job be done from home? Are you classed as a keyworker? What does your other half do for work?

Tini17 · 06/04/2020 07:28

It’s up to you to tell them when you wish to return OP. Not for them to tell you.

And no. Moving between three households as you propose is currently not permitted.

Fatted · 06/04/2020 07:31

To be fair, child care is not your employers responsibility, it's yours.

Your current childcare arrangement is not permitted under government guidelines. So you either have to try and find alternative childcare (which will likely not be possible with nurseries and childminders closing) or tell work you don't have suitable childcare to facilitate your return to work.

The legally have to give you the time off. They don't legally have to pay you for it. You can ask to be furloughed because of child care, but if you are in the public sector at all, this will not happen.

Original poster
Ireland234 · 06/04/2020 07:32

I work in a factory. We all consider it non essential but they have told us we are key workers. My work cannot be done from home.

My partner is a key worker and his hours are all over the place so I cant work around him.

My maternity has ended these are now the holidays I used at the end. So they have told me I can go back part time. So it is ok if I tell them I haven't got the childcare to return on the 1st of may?. I feel bad after constantly asking has my hours been confirmed.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ireland234 · 06/04/2020 07:33

I know it's not my employers responsibility for childcare. I just meant am I ok to not return to work when I agreed to. And as you've now said my childcare is not permitted

OP posts:
Stickybeaksid · 06/04/2020 07:33

Are you in Ireland? Just saw your user names because the rules are different here. My company is making people take unpaid leave if they can’t source childcare.

Original poster
Ireland234 · 06/04/2020 07:35

No I'm not in Ireland 😂 I just love the place I visit a lot.

My company isn't furloughing people

OP posts:
KatherineJaneway · 06/04/2020 07:36

I just meant am I ok to not return to work when I agreed to.

You either go back to work, resign or sort childcare and return to work. We won't be in lockdown forever.

OuterMongolia · 06/04/2020 07:38

I would leave it a week or two before you do anything OP. 1st May is three and a half weeks away - it's possible (although not very likely) that lockdown will have been relaxed by then.

Original poster
Ireland234 · 06/04/2020 07:41

@KatherineJaneway sorry I dont understand, can I just ask return at a later date when lockdown is relaxed?

@outermongolia. Yeah I think that's what I will do. Just wait it out. I just hope work accept it.

OP posts:
KillerofMen · 06/04/2020 07:45

If you've ended your maternity leave and are now unable to return to work, you're only entitled to unpaid leave. Some employers are offering more than that but they don't have to.

Original poster
Ireland234 · 06/04/2020 08:15

Okay thank you, I'm happy to take it unpaid just wanted to know what was allowed and not allowed. I'll give it a week or two and speak with them.

OP posts:
Darbs76 · 06/04/2020 08:18

I think you will have to tell them that your childcare plan is not allowed to happen so you can’t return until lockdown is over. They can put you on unpaid leave

Original poster
Ireland234 · 06/04/2020 08:40

In honesty does this make me look bad that I pestered for confirmation on going part time when I knew the lockdown situation?.

I was just scared that if I didn't get an answer then told them I weren't going back as planned they would be awkward and refuse my part time hours.

OP posts:
okiedokieme · 06/04/2020 08:49

You have to confirm your return 3 weeks before your return start date - it is worth contacting hr and saying to them that it is impossible for you to put your dc in the nursery you reserved so could you delay return until nurseries reopen, there's a chance this will be around the beginning of May but there's no way of knowing (more likely late May). The company may be happy not to pay wages but be aware if they have a full order book they may give you an ultimatum return or quit as childcare is not their concern. Workplaces are not being told they must shut as some here seem to think, just they should allow wfh if feasible - we are both popping in to our work as are colleagues, in my case to collect post for instance.

Theresnobslikeshowb · 06/04/2020 08:50

Just tell them- I was only wanting to confirm that I had part time hours when it was safe for me to come back. Play dumb.

Original poster
Ireland234 · 06/04/2020 08:54

My company is not essential, not that I see anyway but are not shutting. Hr and office staff are working from home.

They have left all factory workers to carry on as normal, no deep clean, no hygiene standards in place. Just told to wash their hands. If someone was to get the virus, the was they are all squished together it would spread like wild fire.

Right ok so do I let them know this week? Or wait two weeks to judge the situation. Hard to get straight to hr because I dont have the working from home number.

OP posts:
StealthMama · 06/04/2020 09:00

I dont think this is 'letting them know' as you are not automatically entitled to unpaid leave. They can refuse it. As you are using holidays now you have legally already returned to work as you are being paid and maternity has ended.

You can request unpaid leave, which they can approve or reject, or you can resign your position.

cinammonbuns · 06/04/2020 09:11

You can ask for unpaid leave it’s their decision if they allow you to take it or not.