Probation extend and hours changed, advice please

[Addler]

Hello, I would be grateful for any advice from people who have knowledge and experience.

I am furloughed from my nanny job until June, and was told if I didn't accept my employment would be terminated, and after a call with the family office advisor today when I return to work they want to change my hours from a one week on/one week off rota that I'm on now to a live in Mon-Fri. They also want to extend my probation, I started my job end of Jan, for another 90-180 days as I was self isolating for 14 days at home and then the parents asked me not to come in for another couple of weeks, so they say that I haven't been at work long enough to be properly assessed.

It states in my contract they can make reasonable changes to my employment including hours etc, but can this be classed as reasonable? It's increasing my hours by a lot, and defeats the whole purpose of me taking a rota position in the first place, of having regular time off and some weekdays free for appointments and social events (when not in lockdown obviously).

I am also pregnant so feeling caught between a rock and a hard place, as if I refuse the terms they'll terminate my employment and then I won't have a job in a very uncertain time to be employed.

Any advice welcome, they said that hopefully this phone call has put some fears at ease and made me feel more comfortable but I'm feeling more stressed than ever now.

They sound like assholes, so if it doesn’t work out I appreciate the finances stress but at least you won’t be working for them!
That said, if you are pregnant it won’t be for that long? So if you need the job I’d take the hours change. Unless you have children already, working 5 days a week is not to sh unusual and doing it for a short period even if you don’t want to to save money before baby is probably a good idea?
For the probation, how long have you worked for, when are you going back, what was it originally and how much have they extended it? Was it 3m and they are making it 6? You can call pregnant then screwed to ask if furlough and self isolating is an acceptable reason to extend probation. But also, what difference does it make? I assume probation you can be let go on the spot, once past it is it 2 weeks notice? And how pregnant are you? Because it might make more sense not to make a fuss, and earn the money given you’d only be past probation for a couple of months before leaving anyway, it’s a bit shit but see their perspective too.

I'm guessing they want to extend your probation so they can fire you instead of ML. How pregnant are you?

I started end of Jan and original probation was 3 months. They want to extend it by 90-180 days. I'm only 11 weeks so due end of November. I feel like I have to accept the changes if I want to keep my job so I can save as much money as possible before the baby arrives. Obviously I won't be able to go back into a job that pays as well as this one so feel like I need to make the most of it.

The whole thing just makes me feel really uneasy and uncertain about my job security.

If you want to keep getting paid I suggest you do what they ask. They can terminate you now for no reason whatsoever as you have less than 2 years service. It may well be you think it is wrong and unfair etc but you’ve not really got a leg to stand on.

I’m still so confused. How do they extend probation by 90-180 days? And the op wouldn’t get mat leave anyway so that’s irrelevant (and if she’s 11 weeks and hasn’t been working for a month or two they probably don’t know anyway so that’s not what they are thinking)

They do know, when I got to work last week the mum told me she was pregnant so I felt like I had to tell her then as well rather than wait until after my 12 week scan.

How many days have you been in to work for the family so far?

Just moving from live out to a live in job is a massive change in itself. The whole job is different.

Have this thread moved to employment law for better advice. You can get rid of any employee for any reason under 2 years. But being pregnant protects you. You can claim constructive dismissal I believe , but I'm no expert.
In these times I would say all nannies should be open to adjusting hours if they can. As parents may need to adjust their own working hours etc.
But I would draw the line at living in.
If the hour dont suit you , just say that doesnt work for me , I will stick with the contacted hours.
Do you belong to BAPN ? They give professional advice.