Employment law help: Contractual hours reduced but no formal notice

[Margo34]

The idea of job sharing/reducing my hours was bandied about casually to me by my boss in Feb to accommodate a perm employee returning early from Mat Leave (I am one of 2 temporary mat cover roles) but nothing was put in writing and I wasn't happy about it which I made clear at the time as I was taken on full time for 12 months. Nothing further was said or communicated.

I've had my payslip today and my hours have been reduced and salary prorata'd for the month of June, which I hadn't expected as nothing was confirmed or said about it since brief chat in Feb.

There's a clause in my contract that says variation in contract be only be effected once I've been consulted, agreed to it and formally notified.

Where do I stand? What constitutes 'formal notice'?

I'm also pregnant.

You haven't agreed to it so formal notice is irrelevant. You need to speak up now otherwise you will be regarded as having accepted the change.

OK, I have queried why my pay is wrong but haven't heard back yet.

Our mat cover posts normally have a clause in them, for example: fixed term post for 12 months to cover the maternity leave of .... the contract will terminate after twelve months or on the earlier Return of the substantive post holder.

I would raise the issue but be prepared that they may decide full time cover is no longer needed as the substantive post holder is returning to work.

There isn't a clause for that in my contract, I've scoured it to check, but it does have a clause that says they will formally notify me prior to any contractual changes taking effect, which they haven't done.