Maternity leave, job re evaluation appeals meetings

[nymphadora]

I'm on maternity leave & my council is implementing single status. I've had my role profile & will be appealing. Certainly one aspect is incorrect(2 qualification levels lower) but my baby brain isn't up to dissecting any of the jargon. I've heard from others doing my role & they will be appealing too.

First part of appeal is a meeting with HR.I've asked the union to do this but they say I have to attend too. As I'm exclusively breast feeding I'll have to take dd3 with me. Can they object? Can I ask for this to be a KIT day and therefore paid? It's likely to involve a bit of travelling too as I live 40 mins from work & it's likely to be head office which is 2 hours away so can I claim travel/mileage?

I've been phoning the helpline who were useless and don't seem to underhand that mat leave means I'm not in work & don't have the same access to info. Union are inundated and I'm not getting much from them either.

I had the same problem. I was going to ask them to pay me for the meetings but in the end they did it via the phone on conference call. I don't see why you shouldn't ask as it's only fair. I don't see how they can say no really.

See here re: KIT days: www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG_175088. They have to be agreed by both you and your employer so you can ask for this to be classed as a KIT day but they don't have to agree. They are also entitled to "reasonable contact" during your mat leave to discuss things like job opportunities etc. which this may fall under. If it's really going to be difficult for you to attend could you ask them to come to you, I've heard of this being done for people on sick leave so can't see why it couldn't be done for someone on mat leave?

Hope someone who knows more about this is able to help.

Thanks, if its up to my manager she will agree. She is appealing herself (think most of the council is!)

If they do the meeting in the next few weeks (probably unlikely the volume they are getting) I won't be able to drive which complicates things too.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Normal emp rules apply so if you could normally claim mileage then you should be able to now.

Normally get car allowance too but that stopped when I started mat leave.

How old is your DD? Are you hoping to actually take her into the meeting with you, because they may not go for that! Could you take someone with you to hang on to her for the hour or so you are actually in the room? Or ask for a teleconference or something?

It sounds as though your manager is fairly supportive so what's she doing to sort all this out for you? Given you have just had a baby and do not have easy access to information, she should be sorting out a teleconference for you or similar, and letting you know about travel expenses and KIT day pay if appropriate.

Dd3 is 2 weeks. Manager has gone on leave now for 2 weeks.I emailed on thurs to let her know I needed it signing. She emailed to say she will be on leave but will ask another manager to authorise it for her. She won't be part of the process of evaluation but should be the one to deal with expense side.

She might not be involved in the evaluation but if she's your manager she can certainly be a bit helpful by sorting out any logistical issues you might have and fighting your corner if necessary to ensure that you can either attend with your DD, or have a teleconference or whatever.

Think she will. Shes pretty good like that. I'm finding it hard not being in the loop with all this as so much is ' water cooler' talk and I just get the official stuff

On a separate note, my essential car allowance continued through my maternity leave.

Interesting. I thought it stopped. Oct is my first month on full mat pay ( sept was only 1 week mat pay) will see when my slip arrives