Meetings whilst on maternity leave

[Rorous]

My work is undergoing a consultation which is going to involve significant changes/redundancies in my team, and this is taking place whilst I’m on maternity leave. My manager sent me emails about this and details of a consultation workshop that I was invited to attend. Am I unreasonable asking to attend this as a KIT day? I’ve emailed her twice to arrange this and she has ignored me. I’ve already had a 1-2-1 with her and attended another consultation meeting without arranging a KIT, but I’m thinking I shouldn’t have to do this? Thoughts please!

My manager would have given this as a KIT day so I don't think it's unreasonable.

Absolutely that's a KIT day! Why should you go in and do it out of your own time, you're on maternity leave.

Thank you both! I think I’ll get in touch with HR x

Yes it should be KIT and you should ask for the ones you've done to be KITs too.

I hope they aren't expecting you to log onto company emails to see updates about the consultation? You can choose which format they contact you (post, personal email etc).

At my work the KIT days were paid by the company and they could be applied for retrospectively. I did a few half days which I didn't claim for at first as I hoped to use them for full days later in my mat leave. This didn't happen so I claimed for them when the week I returned to work

You've messaged your manager with no response so now speak to your HR dept and follow it up with an email so it's in writing - HR may tell your manager to arrange a meeting with you when your ML has finished

We were restructured, my team was disbanded and we moved offices when I was on mat leave - lots of meetings, emails, trips to the office. All counted as Kit days!

Thank you everyone, this is very reassuring! I had several problems with this manager when I was pregnant and also ended going to HR, so shouldn’t come a surprise…

I just went through this, all consultation meetings were put down at KIT days even if it was only an hour long phone call. And I never even inquired about it as baby was very new (8 weeks) and I was in a funk of PND. Go to HR if you have it.

Hope you’re not feeling too low under the circumstance, I found the uncertainty really difficult and it definitely contributed to my very poor mental health throughout mat leave. Take care of yourself x