Let down on PT role 9 days before due to start!

[Bonsai]

I want to return to work but cannot make full time work because of the long commute to London. However I was told by my employer that I had been accepted for a client secondment role which would enable me to work a 0.6FTE provided I cut short my maternity leave by 2months. They wanted me to start at short notice so as soon as I got an email confirming I had been selected by the client I booked childcare. The client has now changed its requirements and my employer is refusing to confirm I can still go back to work on the date planned. This leaves me with a huge childcare bill.
Does anyone have any useful advice? Could I take this to an employment tribunal or would it just be dismissed on the grounds I didn't wait for a variation to my contract prior to booking childcare? If I had waited I would have been unable to fulfil the role had it happened due to lack of available childcare.

If its not in writing you'll have a hard time proving anything

Bit rubbish of your work to not let you back early though.

Hey you, giving you a little bump to bring you back up the list to see if any other good ideas on here. Hope all ok
x

I think that they'll have a hard time saying that you can't start back on the date you agreed - they agreed you were starting back at work and they were your employer. I don't think that they could argue you have to stay on leave.

The difficult bit is whether you could enforce three day week, and I presume you don't have childcare for the other days.

I'd give it a damn good jump up and down and try though. Suggest that this would be a useful trial period of whether pt working coudl work in your normal role and stomp about the fact that they agreed the arrangments, they are your employer and you have relied on them.

Whilst I agree with Kay on proving anything re childcare, I think it's worth a strop to see what you can get.

Thanks everyone - my strop was obviously effective! They have agreed I can return a week later but being paid holiday from the date I was due to start. PHEW!!!!!

I think being willing to compromise on hours and getting a good background on how much work the team has on before the meeting really helped my case.

Think I've been very lucky though.