Redundancy during maternity leave after arguing with managers

[OneWarmHazelQuail]

I am currently on maternity leave and have been put at risk of redundancy.

I had a big argument with my manager prior to going on maternity leave because I rightly or wrongly felt that I had been overlooked for promotion after disclosing my pregnancy. The grievance process concluded that this was not the case. My husband was furious at me for fighting against work and felt that I should have piped down and just gone on maternity leave.

Now, just as I am due to return to work from maternity leave, I have been put at risk of redundancy. Whilst there are a number of employees being made redundant, my position is quite unique and this feels target.

The organisation hasn't tried to place me in other roles despite it legally being a protected period. Its a big company and I think they know I wouldn't have the funds for a legal battle.

My husband is very unsympathetic as he feels its my own fault and now we're in financial oblivion.

I'm burning with rage at the injustice of the whole situation. The legal protections seem to mean nothing in practice.

YABU - You should not have fought with your management.

YANBU - It was right to fight for what I believe in despite the consequences for your family

The way to fight this is to use the law against them. If they want to get rid of you, they will find a way, but you can try and pressure them into a decent settlement at least.

You may not need big funds. Your home insurance may have legal cover - my friend used that against a massive company.
Another friend represented herself .

It’s done and no going back, so I wouldn’t dwell on what happened before. You might have been made redundant regardless.

Are you in a union at all? You have some protections while on maternity leave, including not having to compete for suitable alternative roles, where available.

I feel your injustice and know it well myself.

I always said I'd stand my ground by when it came to it i smiled and ate shit (and avoided redundancy)

Having kids has ruined more than womans careers in their current company through no fault of their own...even when they did the "right" things.

Your dh

You are where you are - your dh is being deeply unhelpful.

My advice.

1. Do your cv
2. Sort childcare and Meet up for coffee with anyone you know heading up some of these equivalent roles and dont be too fussy

Try and get and keep something, anything.

1. Aggressively start looking for other jobs in case.
2. If they do offer you redundancy just get a lawyer and haggle the settlement dont fight it. Take the cash and run

If you stay in the company.... know it's temporary and you chose this. For now.

When you go back the baby will still be sleeping badly and it will just tide you ove until you are strong in role and sleeping better then you can find the right job where you are "supposed to be".

Good luck!

It all seems deeply unfair. I'd echo the union thing if that's a possibility. But also, tell your husband not to blame you for your company's unfair and unethical practices. That's on them, not you.
Hope things work out.

I voted Yanbu because good for you for standing up for yourself when you felt overlooked for promotion - so many people would have taken the easy option and not fought back. Not that either option would have been "wrong" - but women in particular are overlooked, and pregnant women are discriminated against all the time and it's often very difficult to prove.

There's no saying that you wouldn't be in this same situation without going through the grievance process, though.

Tbh having an huge argument about your lack of promotion wasn't professional. If you think you had a case you should have presented it and asked for a review of the evidence. However if you think your redundancy status is linked to your pregnancy then you need to make a claim. I'd start with acas and pregnant then screwed.

Do they have suitable alternative roles that you could do?

Sorry to hear this. I lost my job 20 years ago when I was pregnant and we were stuffed in the short term. I agree with talking to pregnant then screwed. And see if you have legal cover on your house insurance.

Hi Op, just wanted to offer some words of support as something similar happened to me. I was made redundant shortly after disclosing my pregnancy. I focused all my energy on securing new employment and got a new job within a month, plus 3 months pay from my old job in the end so wasn't too bad. I didn't have the energy to fight.

I ultimately left that job shortly after mat leave for a new one, so whilst a little scary entering a new workplace it also meant that I came in fresh and no-one knew about the baby for months (I was wary of being discriminated against, but turned out new employer was good) and got a double promotion within my first year back.

Essentially my advice is that whilst you could fight this, and could win, your energy probably would be better spent focusing on your next career move and getting promoted at a new job if you genuinely think your current employer is discriminating against you.

I know this means the employer "wins" but I've seen friends go to tribunal and the level of stress didn't seem worth what they gained in the end. Again, I think this isn't morally right, but just wanted to be realistic about what the outcome may be

Tribunals are generally not worth it. A friend of mine is going through one.

the older I’ve got the more I’ve seen people get fucked over. In all honesty once management have decided they don’t want you it’s not worth fighting except for a settlement.

I faught my redundancy when I came back from mat leave. I signed off sick with stress. Wrote a 6 page letter that took their lawyers 6 months to unpick and come up with a settlement of a years pay. Fight it. It's not fair and you can't afford not to.
I was paid for the 6 months off sick at full pay. Not aurw of your company policy.
I found a new job within 2 months of settling.
I was not the only person at riak but ai was the only one back from mat leave

It’s not personal or targeted if a number of employees have been put at risk of redundancy. Redundancy is just something that employers genuinely need to do sometimes.

It is not going to be helpful for your energy to focus on whether or not you should have argued about a promotion. Put your attention towards finding another job.

It’s not personal or targeted if a number of employees have been put at risk of redundancy. Redundancy is just something that employers genuinely need to do sometimes.

It is not going to be helpful for your energy to focus on whether or not you should have argued about a promotion. Put your attention towards finding another job.

Speak to ACAS. Speak to Maternity Action or Pregnant then Screwed for advice. If you are in a union, speak to your union.

I wouldn’t want to continue working for an employer that I felt had discriminated against me during pregnancy.

Negotiate a good redundancy package and start looking for a better job.

Your DH is being really unhelpful. He’s the one who needs to pipe down.

I’m not sure I understand this. Were the other people at risk of redundancy also given 6 months of paid sick leave to deal with the stress of the risk of redundancy? Or just you because you asked for it?

I do believe in ‘you need to ask or you won’t get’, but your example seems a bit extreme and may not wash with OP’s employer.

(Fair play to you though.)

If you think you've been targeted or not had priority to suitable alternative vacancies, contact ACAS and find out how to bring a discrimination claim.

I had PND from a traumatic birth that I was holding together but took a nose dive after i returned to work to a blood bath of redundancies and a toxic environment. My workplace had full pay sick leave for mental health issues luckily. So it does depend on the employer.

Lots of great advice above. Also, check Pregnant Then Screwed as they could help with legal advice.

If you were just about to go on maternity leave were you able to do the job they needed or would they have to then recruit a maternity cover to cover the promotion? I can see why they might not offer it if you were not actually going to be there for 9-12 months. I don’t imagine arguing about it has helped your position. It’s not fair obviously that women can’t have the same opportunities due to maternity leave but at the end of the day the company needs someone there day to day. It can take a while for someone to learn the ropes so having to absorb this as a business twice isn’t as easy for them to manage. Also unfortunately lots of new parents take more time off when they have babies & toddlers. It’s not fair to discriminate based on this but I can see why it might put employers off.

Reposting this in case the @OneWarmHazelQuail hasnt seen it. Pregnant then screwed are great for this sort of thing. PM if you want a recommendation for a good employment lawyer .

I would be trying to scare them to get a decent settlement as realistically you can’t rust hem anymore.

I think where you said "not fair" you actually meant "unlawful"....at least I hope so, but the general tone of your post isn't promising.
It is unlawful to treat someone less favourably because they are pregnant or on maternity leave.

Are you in the UK ?
contact Pregnant then Screwed for advice
https://pregnantthenscrewed.com

@EskarinaS it is unfair that having children affects a woman’s career trajectory. Men don’t have to consider things in the same way. Yes it’s unlawful to not treat a pregnant woman the same as a male or a non-pregnant female. But the reality is that the business probably doesn’t want the hassle of training OP up & her getting settled in post & then having to re-appoint. It’s inconvenient for them. Whether that’s unethical or unlawful or unfair isn’t going to make them offer the job if it’s going to create more work for them.

Sorry I haven’t read through all of the advice but I’ve been going through issues with work post maternity leave, and I found Pregnant then Screwed not very helpful (lots of others really rate them though), however they’ve partnered with a law firm who offer an hour of free legal advice and the woman I spoke to was amazing!

She’ll listen and then advise you on where you stand. https://www.pregnantandprotected.co.uk/