Returning to work as Police mum of 2 babies

[oinker]

In brief -
I've been off since 2010. Adopted DS. Then took a years career break to foster DS's new born sibling who we are now adopting. I am on adoption leave now.
Have been visited by HR who inform me there is no job for me part-time. It's full time or nothing. Advised to take further career break until my circumstances change?! Or resign.
Apparently there is a blanket ban on officers returning from maternity/ adoption leave and going part time. They never have advertised a part time police post. Ordinarily most officers go back to their previous role part time. Not nownot anymore. Can they do this?

Isn't it discrimination?

Any advice?
Am looking to take my case to Camilla Palmer.

You have the right to ask for flexible working to be considered but the default view is that if the role can't accommodate it then it may be denied. Things have changed and reductions in staff have to be made. Part time/ flexible workers will be victim to these cuts. Normal work conditions do not always apply but they are open to challenge.

Can you work full hours but with a flexible rota?

Do you mean - something like a full week on one shift ?
If so, Nope! Round the clock only....

Women are going to be the losers in all of this-
I mentioned job sharing - They stated I find someone to share with - ????

I'm supposed to be going back in 7 weeks

Scurry.....

CUTS- they are actually recruiting -

It's different for the police though isn't it? As you're not technically employed?

In my force flexible and part time workers are sidelined into admin roles which is fine if that is what people want to do but I feel it indirectly discriminates against women who are more likely to be those sort of workers. It effectively blocks any career development and denies access to certain courses/ career paths. It's creeping in where part time workers cannot progress at all. Unfortunately we are not employees but servants of the crown.

Love your name Tickle?

What do you mean not technically employed?

I got denined reduced hours, although I work in the private sector. My two mum friends were also denined. My older work friends with grown up children were suprised, but its tough out there now. Sorry, not much help.

Quite a few public sector organisations have staff who are classed as Crown servants. That does not make them exempt from employment law, other than for a few pretty tightly defined exceptions.

After maternity/adoption leave, your right of return (with any employer) is only to the post you held before, ie your full time role. You can request flexible working, and tis can only be turned down for sound business (operational efficiency) reasons.

If there is no matching other half for a job share, then that option falls away straight away (but you should ask them to describe what steps they took to find one). And have you done all you can (eg is there an internal register of those seeking sharers, and have you both added yourself and searched it roughly?)

If they are saying your existing job cannot be carried out part-time, what are the reasons? Just saying "policy" really isn't good enough. But unless you know you're dealing with an incompetent office, then there may well be substantive reasons lying behind the policy. Get them explained.

An indefinite right of return is above entitlement - definitely worth considering, especially if the only part-time roles involve a change of career track (as at may be harder to deal with reputationally than a lengthier absence).

I'm in the Nhs and my dept is currently saying the same to women coming back off maternity leave. Not sure how legal it is when/if there are plenty of people who would be willing to apply for jobs and do the work....also part time.

UPDATE:

URGENT HELP!!!

Returning to work is still a drama..... AND Highly unlikely.....

Can someone please help?

I have found someone to do job share with. A position has come up which may suit our childcare (needs tweaking) BUT we have been told that we will need to be interviewed for the job alongside Full time candidates How can this be done fairly? Either one of us, me and my job-share partner could potentially do well in the interview BUT if the other messes up.... we are both penalised

Am I being thick cos I really can't see how my employer is going to do this fairly?

I have to call them in the morning so advice will really be appreciated.....

I'm not a police expert, but what you describe is exactly the same process that we have for job sharing applicants in my public sector organisation.

I really feel for you, not being allowed to return part time is discrimination. surely as a police officer is relatively easy to move to part time hours!

I naively thought it would be a smooth transition..... OH HOW STUPID AM I..

I am being treated like shite......

I think this is pretty standard nowadays. I certainly know that people who want to job share have to find their own job sharer as well as be interviewed together (from their point of view of course they need to make sure that you both can do the job, it's no use if only one of you can do it!).

I'm impressed that your force has said that they'll hold your job indefinitely. My DH has been refused a sabbatical and knows of some pretty shocking refusals.