To ask work to stop contacting me while I’m on Mat leave?!

[waitingforwinter]

Agreed before I went off at the end of last year that I’d be taking the full year and set a date for my return including the use of my annual leave that had accrued. All in writing etc.

I’m 7.5m into my leave. Have barely heard from them until now bar the usual emails updating in the covid situation.

In the last month I’ve had:

• HR email to ask if I still plan on taking the year or if I’ve considered taking just the 9m paid leave (as they’re struggling for holiday cover because a number of staff across the company left during furlough)
• texts from the area manager asking if I would use my KIT days to help cover some days she’s meant to be doing as she could do with being elsewhere those days (requesting I work 4 full weekends out of 7 starting 10 days after she text me plus another 6 single days over the next 3 months)
• text from my direct manager this weekend asking me to cover 10 other days over the next 3 months and to let her know “ASAP” as she’ll have to deny other staff their annual leave requests if I can’t.

Before I get on my high horse and complain - I am right in saying I’m entitled to the year aren’t I?! Stat Mat if that makes any difference so 9m paid at stat and 3 months unpaid.
I was planning on contacting them about doing some KIT days closer to my return to get back into the swing of things but I don’t think it’s right that I’m being asked to provide cover 🤔

A firm no you are protected by law and entitled to your leave.

I wouldn't bother with kit days they are not mandatory and one of my coworkers did them and said not worth it you get bugger all pay and it's time better spent with the baby.

Email saying you fully intend to take the full year as agreed before going on maternity leave and will be ignoring further emails, when you are due to return to work you will chase them up about it.

I'd be annoyed to but sometimes it's worth considering if you want your colleagues to welcome you back.
Really? I'm glad I've never worked with people like that.

Hi, I'm really sorry but I don't have any childcare in place to cover these days, due to covid nursery are quite strict on numbers/dates."
Bollocks to that. a) there's nothing to say sorry for and b) the OP's home life is none of their business.

They're obviously a bit desperate, and a single enquiry as to whether you would be interested in doing any KIT days is not unreasonable.
They're desperate because they didn't get their act together. The OP hardly sprang her absence on them. ANY enquiries about covering shifts while on ML are by definition unreasonable and the law would take a very dim view.

Honestly, why will people not stand up for themselves and their legal rights?

I'd tell them to stop contacting me.

You're entitled to your year off. Do not go back before that.

So what if the staff can't have their holiday. That isn't your problem!

@IntermittentParps

I'd be annoyed to but sometimes it's worth considering if you want your colleagues to welcome you back. Really? I'm glad I've never worked with people like that.

Hi, I'm really sorry but I don't have any childcare in place to cover these days, due to covid nursery are quite strict on numbers/dates."
Bollocks to that. a) there's nothing to say sorry for and b) the OP's home life is none of their business.

They're obviously a bit desperate, and a single enquiry as to whether you would be interested in doing any KIT days is not unreasonable.
They're desperate because they didn't get their act together. The OP hardly sprang her absence on them. ANY enquiries about covering shifts while on ML are by definition unreasonable and the law would take a very dim view.

Honestly, why will people not stand up for themselves and their legal rights?

And yes to all of this!

When I went on Mat Leave I specified in the email that I would have no access to work emails, and did not have a company phone, so all communication should be posted to my home address

It was an industry similar to yours OP and I wanted them to only send me relevant stuff. I was worried about the same they are asking of you (cover etc).

@MrsFin

I guess some people would complain if they hadn't been given the opportunity. "Work" can't really win, can it?!

Literally nobody wants the "opportunity" to work during their planned leave. Otherwise they wouldn't have taken leave, would they

People are given the opportunity. KIT days are a legal right/opportunity to work during Mat Leav at the persons choosing

@IntermittentParps

I'd be annoyed to but sometimes it's worth considering if you want your colleagues to welcome you back. Really? I'm glad I've never worked with people like that.

Hi, I'm really sorry but I don't have any childcare in place to cover these days, due to covid nursery are quite strict on numbers/dates."
Bollocks to that. a) there's nothing to say sorry for and b) the OP's home life is none of their business.

They're obviously a bit desperate, and a single enquiry as to whether you would be interested in doing any KIT days is not unreasonable.
They're desperate because they didn't get their act together. The OP hardly sprang her absence on them. ANY enquiries about covering shifts while on ML are by definition unreasonable and the law would take a very dim view.

Honestly, why will people not stand up for themselves and their legal rights?

@IntermittentParps sorry all - have been enjoying the sunshine today so haven’t been back on 😊 Just to clarify - I have absolutely no problem saying no to any of their requests - I’m not using my Mat leave to sort out their staffing issues! I do enough of that during my working time! I just wasn’t sure if I was being unreasonable to expect them not to contact me. I wasn’t sure what the norm was although I was pretty sure they shouldn’t be asking me for cover.

I’ve emailed HR including copies of all correspondence that I’ve received asking for cover and just stating that I will not be covering any staff absence or holidays while on maternity leave and will return as planned week commencing....etc. Email has been read but I haven’t received a reply so we’ll see if I get one.

For those saying “you want your colleagues to welcome you back” - if you wouldn’t welcome someone back because they wouldn’t work during their own planned leave in order to give you your leave then you need to take a bit of a look at yourself IMO! What makes your need for leave greater than theirs?!
FWIW - I have an excellent relationship with my colleagues - we’re a relatively small team and I know that they would be horrified knowing I’d been asked back early to cover for them! I’m their manager but younger than them all by at least 10 years - they’re all already parents with older children so they’ve been really lovely checking in occasionally to see how I’m getting on.

@HumousWhereTheHeartIs I did wonder if they were allowed to ask that too actually! Especially when it was given in writing before I went off on leave and a date for my return was set.

OP, I don't mean YOU aren't standing up for yourself, I mean the posters I've quoted and others who are suggesting you send apologetic notes, cut them some slack as they're 'struggling' etc. I'm 100% with you!

@IntermittentParps Haha, the apologetic notes will definitely not be being sent by me 🤣🙈 I’m actually a bit shocked at the number that have replied saying that they would apologise and/or use childcare as an excuse 😬

Yeah.
Well done OP
Maternity leave is a precious time, you don't want it spoilt or made stressful by guilt trips and work pressures being sent to you - on text WhatsApp and personal emails - by the other managers. Hope HR nip that in the bud quickly!

[quote waitingforwinter]@northdownsouth7 I’m due back end October and put it in writing to them before I went off that I’d be happy to do KIT days in October with a formal plan to be made nearer the time.

@thecognoscenti Completely understand them trying to plan - it’s usually part of my job to rota holidays etc so I get how stressful it can be. I’ve been contacted a few times out with those mentioned to ask if I can provide cover in other locations during December to cover - I have no problem with that at all as I’ll be back at work then and it means everyone knows what’s happening. But that’s now 3 levels within the company that have all contacted basically asking me to work during my Mat leave because they’re short staffed. And I’ve been asked to cover 24 days during my last 3 months leave.[/quote]
What stood out to me was your last sentence in this post - that they’ve asked you to cover 24 days over 3 months. That’s 8 days a month - or effectively every single weekend for 3 months (though I realise it may not actually be every Saturday/Sunday they’re asking you to cover. That’s not just covering for people, that’s a part time role in itself and an absolute pisstake when you’ve already been clear on how long you’ll be off and what your return date will be.

Good on you for standing up for yourself and not being blackmailed into doing this through the threat of other staff not being able to take their summer holidays if you don’t do what they want - if you were on long term sick leave they wouldn’t dare ask you to do this and shouldn’t be asking you to - especially not to use your KIT days to do it!

Enjoy the rest of your Mat leave and have a wonderful, unencumbered by work, summer with your little one x

It must be assumed they are absolutely desperate if they asking. You have every right to say no. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for them to ask. I have been called and texted on weekends and days off asking if I could possibly spare a few hours because they are short staffed in another department. I just politely say “no”. I don’t get annoyed that they asked.

Trying to see it from the other side, there are obviously people there who’ve worked throughout the entire period, and they now want to take some annual leave but their requests are going to be denied. I know I’d be miffed if my request was denied. At least the manager can reassure those who are being denied their annual leave that she has tried every possible avenue she can think of to get some cover.

When I was a manager before I went on maternity leave, if someone was on a KIT day they weren't counted in the numbers, they were an extra so they could get used to everything, be shown anything new etc. We (well, I) would never have used them as cover as that's not the point of KIT days at all. I'm glad you're standing up for yourself!

You have every right to say no. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for them to ask. I don't get this. It IS unreasonable. This is not a matter of opinion. It's there in black and white in the legislation.

Trying to see it from the other side, there are obviously people there who’ve worked throughout the entire period, and they now want to take some annual leave but their requests are going to be denied. I know I’d be miffed if my request was denied.
It would never occur to me to be miffed at a colleague if this happened. I'd be very clear in my thinking that it was management's fault.

At least the manager can reassure those who are being denied their annual leave that she has tried every possible avenue she can think of to get some cover.

If a manager told me they'd contacted people on ML about this, I'd be mortified – and very concerned about their conduct and their understanding of the law. If they did this sort of thing to one person then they could easily to it to someone else – for example me, if and when it came to my turn to take ML.

I really don't know what's wrong with some people on here when it comes to knowing your rights and being willing to cite them.

@BritWifeInUSA

It must be assumed they are absolutely desperate if they asking. You have every right to say no. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for them to ask. I have been called and texted on weekends and days off asking if I could possibly spare a few hours because they are short staffed in another department. I just politely say “no”. I don’t get annoyed that they asked.

Trying to see it from the other side, there are obviously people there who’ve worked throughout the entire period, and they now want to take some annual leave but their requests are going to be denied. I know I’d be miffed if my request was denied. At least the manager can reassure those who are being denied their annual leave that she has tried every possible avenue she can think of to get some cover.

Just no. Women on maternity leave in the UK have rights that have been hard fought for. These rights are not to be dismissed or compromised due to poor management practices or crap employers.

@BritWifeInUSA

It must be assumed they are absolutely desperate if they asking. You have every right to say no. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for them to ask. I have been called and texted on weekends and days off asking if I could possibly spare a few hours because they are short staffed in another department. I just politely say “no”. I don’t get annoyed that they asked.

Trying to see it from the other side, there are obviously people there who’ve worked throughout the entire period, and they now want to take some annual leave but their requests are going to be denied. I know I’d be miffed if my request was denied. At least the manager can reassure those who are being denied their annual leave that she has tried every possible avenue she can think of to get some cover.

@BritWifeInUSA But it’s not just my day off - I’m off on maternity leave. I shouldn’t even be on the weekly rota as a member of staff as far as I’m concerned! As management I’m constantly contacted on my days off to cover in my location or other locations because of last minute illness or childcare issues for my colleagues etc - it’s the nature of my job and I have no issue with that. But as far as I’m concerned Mat leave should be thought of along the same line as sick leave - the member of staff should NOT be contacted to provide cover. They are off until their scheduled return to work. And for what it’s worth - due to covid the business was closed March 2020-July 2020 then from BoxingDay 2020 - End April this year so the staff have not “worked throughout the entire period” - they have been off on furlough.

Thanks @Rememberallball ❤️ Looking forward to finally being able to get out and about with him without as many restrictions (hopefully 🤞🏼)! You’re right, it practically is part time hours that they’ve asked!

@ChampionOfTheSun That was exactly my understanding of how they were to be used! Essentially I could phone in the morning of a KIT day and cancel and it should have no impact on the business.

@IntermittentParps I’d be mortified too! I’ve already had contact from a couple of my colleagues after they’ve seen my name pencilled in on the asking if I’ve decided to come back early!! They’re mortified that I’ve been contacted!

Emailed Tuesday morning and still no response from HR!

Wow. No YANBU. Especially for such a shitty package (I got 6 months full pay!!!) - you don't owe them anything! What cheek.

I would just say you won't have childcare until your return to work.

Emailed Tuesday morning and still no response from HR!

Breezy follow-up/chase-up: 'Can you confirm receipt/acceptance? Thanks v much.'

@IntermittentParps

Emailed Tuesday morning and still no response from HR!

Breezy follow-up/chase-up: 'Can you confirm receipt/acceptance? Thanks v much.'

@IntermittentParps Yeah, have sent something along that line late morning so we’ll see how long it takes them!

Considering they seemed so anxious to speak with you, the silence now at their end is deafening.

You’re on maternity leave and taking the full year. They should not be contacting you at all asking about days or about covering someone for their holiday. You need to let HR know and then tell your manager you’re taking your full maternity leave and you will discuss days after you return to work. Why is this all of a sudden urgent? It’s HR’s job and your manager to manage the staffing issues. Trying to coax women back early from maternity leave isn’t the way to do that.

YANBU.

@LookItsMeAgain Yeah - still no contact from them!

@MarshmallowSwede Yeah I agree! Have some all this! Waiting for a response from HR!