Retuning from Maternity leave

[username1909]

Is there anything specific employers need to do to support your return / transition back ? Understandably difficult during a pandemic etc.

Do you have any extra legal protection from getting sacked etc when you return at all ?

Re first part- Are you the employer or the employee? Do you want to know what they should do or what is legally obliged to bring you back in? Re second part - only protected if the criteria for eg redundancy are prejudiced due to eg gender or maternity

Are you bf-ing?
archive.acas.org.uk/media/3924/Accommodating-breastfeeding-employees-in-the-workplace/pdf/Acas-guide-on-accommodating-breastfeeding-in-the-workplace.pdf

@LouiseTrees thanks your response.

I'm the employee.

@EasterIssland thank for the link. I stopped breastfeeding a while ago.

@LouiseTrees I just wondered in general what's legally required and what they should do ?

Well my employer is quite good so they had a breastfeeding room ( but we are all working from home so that’s not a must). They also have get back to work sessions which help you build juggling techniques and allow us to have a bit of a moan and learn from each other ( externally facilitated but only our organisation recent returners as attendees). But legal requirements I think not much they have so apart from not have discriminatory procedures. Might be some things they need to do to allow bf but sadly don’t know the rules in that area.

New and expectant mothers RA to see if any issues that need dealing with.
Scheduled meetings to get you back upto speed with current requirements including covid controls

Ah OK. I've had nothing. I just got a letter saying that I'm back at work from X date. I've been back a few months now.

Yeah I’ve had nothing, still bf and no one has checked or asked. I did use keep in touch days before returning but they were explained before I went off

I don't recall anything special. Just business as usual really. Meeting with boss to find out what work to do and that was it I think

Is there something you could do with some extra support with?

@username1909

Ah OK. I've had nothing. I just got a letter saying that I'm back at work from X date. I've been back a few months now.

Not being goady, but what did you expect would be in place? Is there something in particular you feel you needed support for?

@VodselForDinner I'm not really sure what else could be done. I guess it's just a big transition coming back from Mat leave during a pandemic when there wasn't a pandemic when I left etc. But I guess it's not their responsibility. Just feeling very much under pressure/ stressed/ tired. I just feel like I was straight back in, as if I had just been away with no easing in at all ( targets ) I mean. As I work in a financial sales. But it is what it is.

I had absolutely nothing, other than a tour of the new office. Then left to crack on.

It was rubbish.

Went back to work during first lockdown. WFH. Full time. Dived straight in. To be fair, didn't expect anything else so wasn't disappointed.

Yeah I'm not really sure what I was looking for. I suppose I'm just struggling, but they can't really help.

Have you spoken to your line manager about it at all?

He's already dropping hints about how long I have left because I haven't performed as well as I should have, but it's more a matter of time really. Which I feel I haven't had. In my industry the beginning of the year is when you kind of find projects etc to work on but I was expected to find them really late in the year, which has made it tough. Guess I'll just leave.

You’re just expected back as normal. You don’t get extra support or protection apart from the right to your old job/ similar job depending on duration of maternity leave.,

Yeah makes sense ! It's a tough world out there.

Oh dear. I just had a call with my boss and he thought he was on mute and said under his breath to someone ( I don't know who to ) perhaps to himself that ' motherhood must have affected my brain and can't she just get fucking lost ' !!! I have no proof this happened though. This is so messed up. I just don't feel comfortable there now. Not sure what to do.

That is shocking! I’d be contacting HR today I think.

I think I need to. Something just hasn't been right since I got back and I'm effectively being managed out. It's not just about performance and time given etc. I've actually done much better than I thought and just been given a hard time undeservedly and this proves why.

I've only been back just 2 months and it's just too fast to speak about firing already. A check in with HR would have been nice when I came back. I'll get legal advice.

Yep. Do it now. I would also tell them what you heard- I know you have no proof, but you’ve got nothing to lose.