I have to ask CM to consider reduced hours in face of redundancy - advice please!

[honie]

Hiya,

I am currently facing redundancy, being scored against my only coworker in our field. It has been put forward by my coworker that we apply for a jobshare. This is no where near ideal for me, due to childcare and the fact I would like a career in my field which will be even harder to achieve on a part time basis I am 90% sure however that this is the path I will follow as it could save 2 jobs, as if I lose my job my CM wont have any charges.

I am due to meet with her this afternoon (we are both meant to be on holiday) to discuss the situation, I have to tell her I am at risk, that I will be applying for a jobshare which will reduce the hours I need her by half a week if the company doesn't accept the request (not likely to be fair) then I go to scoring on monday, along with a 4 day week. I am able to still pay her 5 days a week for the first 5 weeks (if I keep my job) but then I will have to reduce her to 4 days a week for 7 weeks until my hours are increased again (or reduce the hours I use her on the fifth day - this would happen with the contracted notice period). If I lose my job I will be giving around 4 weeks notice. (wont find out for a couple of weeks though, so she will be aware of the situation)

I appreciate she may not be able to afford the part time hours so I have made sure I have another CM option available, I don't want to put her in my position - where I have to agree to this, although I see her options are as depressing as mine. I am finding letting her down as stressful as the fight to keep my job is, I feel awful because she has LO and needs the money too.

I just don't know the best way to put all this to her, I don't want her to feel cornered by it, I 'm really hoping we can work through this together, and come out at the other end with a 4 day week for 7 weeks while my company recovers - we've been here once before but I wasn't at risk.

I work in a very specialised field and have looked at job prospects this morning, theres a couple of jobs that I may be suitable for if they relax the experience required but both have had over 100 applications so far so I think I am going to be out of work for a while (I wouldn't be able to afford CM on less than I earn now)

Help

I would ask that I don't get flamed for any of this, I only found out yesterday afternoon and am doing everything I can to help us both - I have already been in a few meetings at work (I'm on holiday which is not helping matters) and I am feeling terrible about both sides of it.

why would you be flamed?

At this point, you just need to be honest

You don't quite know what is going on yet, just lay it out

Thanks Rubyslippers (great name btw)

I feel so unreasonable and horrid so I think I am thinking others will feel the same about what I have to do.

CM just called to say she is home so I will have a quick cuppa, a couple of deep breaths and then will head over there. I haven't yet agreed to anything at work - I wanted speak with her first. I will try to lay it out as I have here. I feel really tearful already, I seem to have cried loads since yesterday, I hate that I'm about to make her feel like this too.

Bloody recession

no idea why anyone would flame you.

Just put it to her as you have here, maybe write it down so she can go away and think about it at home herself rather than making a snap decision.

When I was in the same situation I said I was happy to go for the reduced hours for the time being but if someone wanted to take on the full time slot I would have to let them have it, but obv give them first refusal on it.

Thanks both.

I've been over to see her and she was lovely and did see I hope that it is beyond my control. She agreed for me to go ahead with the reduced hours and if work agrees with this she will try to fill the rest of the week, which does mean difficulty in the future if I then go back full time. I explained all the proceedures etc that will happen from here. I just hope so much that this goes our way, I have worked so hard over the last 20 mths to establish a good position at work and one of the positives my manager mentioned to me the other day was that I have never let them down through childcare, which is entirely on her merit.

My stress level is through the roof at the moment

Good luck