Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

WFH/Mat-leave, surely not a good idea?

30 replies

accccc · 30/09/2020 15:42

I am having a c-section with my first child in under two weeks. Due to Covid it kind of feels like I have had a 'secret' pregnancy in terms of work, as I haven't been in the office etc.

I have specific difficult stakeholders - my manager has just phoned asking if I will dial in on a call with them tomorrow, as I have a better working relationship with them.

These meetings are quarterly, I don't really mind doing it tomorrow. However I don't want to once the baby is here. Should I for principles sake not do it tomorrow either?

In addition when catching up with my manager she said that she was proposing I take on all client meetings for a different set of clients, when I return (these would all be upward of 4hrs away). I want to say 'ask me in a year', but surely she can't make me commit to something now?

OP posts:

seventhrow · 30/09/2020 15:43

.... do they even know you're pregnant?

karmakameleon · 30/09/2020 15:44

Have you started mat leave yet? If you have, you shouldn’t be working tomorrow.

Original poster

accccc · 30/09/2020 15:45

@seventhrow

.... do they even know you're pregnant?

Hahaha, yes they do know! I think the not seeing people get progressively more pregnant means they kind of kept forgetting?

OP posts:

arethereanyleftatall · 30/09/2020 15:45

Are you mat leave yet or still working?

jdoejnr1 · 30/09/2020 15:45

If you are already on Mat leave then YANBU. If not and its part of your job then YABU.

Original poster

accccc · 30/09/2020 15:46

@karmakameleon

Have you started mat leave yet? If you have, you shouldn’t be working tomorrow.

I am on Mat-Leave already, but I don't mind dialing in for an hour or two but I just don't want them to think I will do it in three months time. In addition to the fact it could confuse pay etc.

OP posts:

Fluffalo · 30/09/2020 15:47

If you are on maternity leave then say no, they will keep to push and they're not actually supposed to contact you aside from in very specific circumstances. If you aren't yet, still make it clear that you are not able to do this while you are off, have you done a handover etc? And I would definitely say you are happy to discuss that when you return, but it's not appropriate or a good idea to agree to stuff now anyway.

ohidoliketobe · 30/09/2020 15:47

Still a bit of I for missing to really say either way.
In terms of the call tomorrow - When do you finish work? Have you done a handover on this piece of work?
In terms of the quarterly - when are you planning to return to work? In theory you could attend as a keeping in touch day without triggering the end of your mat leave, but if you haven't been involved/working between the quarterly sessions would there be any point?

Fluffalo · 30/09/2020 15:48

Don't do it if you are on maternity leave, put all of your work equipment away (or send it back, whatever the deal is) and they need to only contact you in certain circumstances.

islandislandisland · 30/09/2020 15:48

Do you get any KIT days? You could ask to use these for any things they want you to be available for.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 30/09/2020 15:48

If you are on Mat Leave then you need to remind them of this. How have they even invited you? They shouldn't be calling or emailing about work at all!

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 30/09/2020 15:49

When I went on Mat Leave I instructed work to communicate with me via letter as both my work mobile and work emails would remain off for the duration .

StealthPolarBear · 30/09/2020 15:51

I thought kit days are for use near end of mat leave.
Surely you are offline, have an out of office on, have handed over your projects?

StealthPolarBear · 30/09/2020 15:52

Who is coverong for you

modge · 30/09/2020 15:52

If you have KIT days then you can use these (including for tomorrow) for anything you want to do but there is no obligation for you to do so. I would be cautious about agreeing either way to things happening in a few months time as until you get there, you won't know how you feel and what your situation might be. You might be at a point with a super chilled baby whose happy to be looked after by someone else for an afternoon and you might actively want to engage in work for a day. Or you might be in the midst of whatever challenging phase, be sleep deprived and just want to zombie along. Or you might just be enjoying the break. Decide nearer the time, it's fairest to you all.

gradetoolisted · 30/09/2020 15:55

If you’re on Mat leave you of course can say no. If you are later asked to do this months down the road when still on Mat leave you can say no or they can pay you to use one of your ‘keep in touch’ days. Totally up to you. The employer should have dealt with the difficult client well before you went on leave with a friendly message saying you were going but that they would be in good hands with ‘x’ person from now on etc. If they havent done so you could use this final meeting to explain and make it clear that’s it...if you’re feeling generous.

Happycamper78 · 30/09/2020 16:00

Have you started mat leave yet? If not I don't see why you would say no to the meeting. If you have, then you need to say you won't be able to cover once you have the baby due to childcare. You could be paid for 10 KIT days during your mat leave though. As to the role, 12 months is a long time especially in covid times.

pandafunfactory · 30/09/2020 16:00

I would email confirming as discussed you will join with the call tomorrow so will be treating that as a KIT day. You will doubtless be prepping for the call and mopping up afterwards so this is reasonable. I would politely say you are happy to do this but as they know you will be having a surgical delivery soon and therefore you will be leaving any other kit days until much later In Your maternity leave. Therefore if there is anything else needed in terms of handover could they please discuss it tomorrow as part of the KIT days as you won't be available otherwise. I would Largely ignore the clients for after leave for now. Who knows what situation we will be in there. You could say you would like to discuss portfolios closer to your return time as the clients situation will be more up to date then and you will be able to ad use on the best client/manager skill set match then.
I suspect they are panicking because you're on leave. Be nice but distant. Mat leave is protected by law.

peachypetite · 30/09/2020 16:00

You’re on maternity, stop checking in so much!

Ohalrightthen · 30/09/2020 16:01

Surely your maternity cover should be doing this?

Cocklepops · 30/09/2020 16:03

You’re being a pushover and they know this - this is why they’re pushing you to agree to something due to happen in a year. Stop saying you don’t mind dialling into things - you’re on maternity leave for heavens sake. Unless you draw a firm line, they ring you within a week of having the baby expecting you to help out with something. I guarantee it.

1990shopefulftm · 30/09/2020 16:03

I thought legally you aren't allowed to do any work for them whilst claiming maternity pay unless they're going to call tomorrow a KIT day and therefore pay you correctly for it.

LoftyLucy · 30/09/2020 16:04

OP you need to be very very careful here - you should NOT have accepted to do work during maternity leave. You're leaving yourself open to all sorts of employment issues, potenially.

I see KIT days (which are very clearly defined in law terms, i.e. how many you can and cannot have) already being mentioned, which is good, but you really need to remind your boss that you're off on leave now, so whoever is covering your workload/handover is done etc.. why are they even contacting you?

I'm shocked your employer would even think their behaviour is normal - they must have zero management training because if i did this to one of my staff, my director would haul me over the coals for opening us up to a legal shitstorm about dealing with mat leave employees. and quite rightly!

you shouldn't even be checking emails/work phone when you're on a period of absence.

Nor should they contact you e.g. on a personal phone, unless it's reasonable/justified like to arrange your return to work in a year (or whenver you choose to go back).

LoftyLucy · 30/09/2020 16:09

OP you could also find that even if they agree to treat your call tomorrow as working a KIT day, you'll only get paid for an hour BUT you can only legally take 1 full kit day.. not part of one. so you'll have used up your legal allowance but only get paid for an hour.
you need to start looking at this from a legal POV before you agree to anything.

(p.s. in my workplace, you cannot legally step foot in there beyond x week of pregnancy, because our insurance wouldn't cover operational areas of the building, you'd be assigned to the office. and even then i think it's a minimum of 2 weeks after birth that our insurance wouldn't cover you.. 4 weeks on the factory floor... so your employer shouldn't be expecting you to do work/etc from other aspects... this might be less relevant if you're working from home.. but i don't think you realise the legal issues around being technically off on maternity leave vs trying to be helpful by working a bit.. it's not a grey area you should be walking into without understanding the implications)

Original poster

accccc · 30/09/2020 16:50

For reference I haven't agreed for tomorrow - and my manager phoned me DIRECTLY on my phone, just said would text her to confirm.

In terms of maternity cover I work in a big team, and my role is being split between a new start, and two people experienced - I think the point about stakeholders is that I am only one who currently handles them well.

I want to keep in touch socially with my manager and colleagues, even more so because I haven't seen any of them since March.

Obviously at the moment, I am just fucking massive and bored - I shall text to refuse the meeting and ignore re. working away.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2