To want to be home by 6.30?

[Neuwanda]

I have a mid level professional position in a financial company. I have been on maternity leave for a year, and will be heading back to the office next week. Already they have scheduled meetings with me almost every day after 7pm. This would mean that I see my children very little / not at all in the evenings.

My position is fairly stressful and bureaucratic, but only moderately salaried (Im not one of the massive high earners I often see on here).

AIBU To expect that most mid level jobs shouldn't expect you to stay at work until 8pm (I start at 9am)?

YABU: You should do what they ask. If you dont like it get a new job.
YANBU: This should not be an expectation from your employer (of course with exceptions for jobs where long hours are explicitly required).

Is this just a short term thing that will settle once things become back normal?

@Pixxie7: not sure if its short term. If it was I would just get on with it. I am worried this is setting a precedent. I will be working on a new project with a new group of people (I think maybe none of them have young children, so are more flexible).

In my very limited knowledge, doesn’t Financial services usually involve working across time zones?. So I only voted YABU because if you are in London, and you need to virtual meet with a person in Tokyo or Los Angeles it’s going to not be during 9-5 London time. You can demand you only do Europe time zones, but that will affect your future prospects.

That’s the career you chose and afraid you are stuck with it unless you choose another career path. It’s not a job with zero international work.

If it’s a time zone thing can you attend remotely from home now and again? If it’s not a time zone thing then it’s just bad management and I wouldn’t think twice about telling whoever organised them that they need to be rearranged to a sensible time.

Start as you mean to go on. Knock this on the head now.

@Neuwanda is there any expectations around TOIL?

Op please don't even let this happen once. I work in a high pressured job and nobody would have a meeting at thst time. It's just not normal or acceptable. Surely you have to leave to collect your child from childcare etc?

In normal jobs there is a cut off to the day. Six is normal surely+? I have worked for years in a a very competitive industry leaving at 5pm to collect my young children
Don't let it happen or you are saying its OK

Just email and get in writing that you are confused why these meetings have been booked outside your working hours and they will need to be changed.