Maternity leave - taking 12 months

[Crystal049]

Hi guys

I know that the company you work for have to keep open your job with the same terms and conditions unless its not reasonably practicable to do so, even when taking 12 months mat leave, but does anyone have examples of where a company has said it isn't 'reasonably practicable'? I'm worried as a permanent employee has been hired and will be temporarily looking after my team whilst I'm on mat leave (I have this in working for reassurance) but what if they turn around later and say we've decided we want to keep your team with the person temporarily covering it but offer me a role similar to mine but no team?! I may b being paranoid but I just don't like the way they're not making it clear and they have already told me they want me to do a different role when I come back! (Happy to if its a promotion but not if its just changing it to accommodate for what they really want to do).

Please someone help me, tell me if I'm being over the top or if you think I should be worried. Thank you.

In writing*

At my old workplace (media, highly stressful environment) women who took 12 months for maternity were put back into a role similar to their old role, but not the same job.
It was horrible - almost as if the (exclusively male) bosses were punishing them for taking a full year. (I took four months off, not by choice, and went back into the same job).

Where I work now, though, everyone seems to go back into the same job they left.
All workplaces are different, I guess.

I think, rather than worry, you should look at examples of other women in your office who've had a full year's maternity, and see what they've returned to?

No team responsibility wouldn't be a job of the same status, unless they upped another area of responsibility to cover that shortfall, iyswim, so it's unlikely it would happen. Your original job is clearly there if someone else is doing it so they'd be very hard pushed to justify not putting you in it.

My understanding is that if you take up to 6 months (or maybe 39 weeks) you can return to your own role. If you take longer than that then the organisation must offer you a role with T&C's no worse than your existing role but do not have to give you your existing role.

At least that's how our organisation works (huge, international business).

I work for the NHS and am taking 12 months. When I go back they have to give me the same pay band but can put me wherever they like within my department, dependant on the 'service needs' they do not have to give me the exact same role I've been in for the past 6 years

I believe that if you take the full 12 months, they don't have to keep the same role for you, but must give you a comparable role (ie can't demote you). If you take less than six months, they have to give you back your old role. I would ask for clarity about the new role they want you to do when you come back.