Going back to work - but my employer has changed my job

[MrsLG]

Hello

I'm going back to work next month after having my first baby. Whilst I have been off my role has changed, well not changed but been added to.

I was pa to one head of department and now going back I will be pa to two different people.The other pa left and hasnt been replaced because of cut backs.

I have asked to go back part time 3 full days a week, which I could manage my role in, and when I went in I saw my boss and she said, if it was just her 3 days a week would be fine but the new head may want cover for four days. Then I was asked about working four days which I said I cant really as I cant get childcare 4 days a week, then I was asked about working two days which I said wouldnt be worth it for me and I wouldnt be able to afford to it. I did offer to work longer days or do some work from home.

My boss then said that they would struggle to recruit to a post thats only two days a week and that due to budget cuts they cant employ another person for 3 days.

I'm waiting to hear what has been decided, my boss was meant to call me on monday but I've heard nothing.

I know I'm entitled to go back to the same job, but as it is really just with some added extras I dont know where I stand.

I'm worried about being difficult as I work directly with head of departments and directors and it would be really awkward, but I'm so worried about this I couldnt sleep last night.

Anyone got any advice or experience of situations like this?

Thanks

how much maternity leave did you take?
did you work full time before?

I worked full time before hand and I will have taken 9 months maternity leave and some annual leave to make up another month.

3 things:

1. The right to go back to the same job doesn't mean your employer is not allowed to make any changes to the job content, it means they can't move you to a different job altogether or give your job to someone else.

1. In any case you don't have the right to return to the same job if you take longer than 6 months.

1. You are asking to change the job anyway by requesting reduced hours, and while your employer is obliged to consider your request, they are not obliged to agree it if there are business reasons they need to refuse it.

Sorry! Your best bet is trying to come to a compromise with your flexible working request. Why can't you get childcare 4 days a week, are there no nurseries/childminders who will take your child for those days?

Have you put a formal flex working request in?

I made an appointment to go in and speak to my boss about coming back part time, although before I went on maternity leave I did say I would want to come back part time. I dont know what the process is, should I have done this differently?

I cant afford childcare for four days a week, my salary isnt great and wouldnt cover the costs.

flexible working process

You should put in a formal request following the process - although it may of course make little or no difference to the outcome it gives a formal framework for consideration and discussion.

Your childcare arrangements obviously none of my business but as your salary would obviously increase proportionately if you do 4 days rather than 3, how will your salary not cover childcare 4 days? Do you have some free childcare available to you for the other days? Just thinking from your employer's point of view if you tell them your salary doesn't cover childcare for 4 days...

There should be some sort of formal procedure for requesting a change to your hours, I think. Ask your HR department and if you are in a union ask them for advice. Not sure if ACAS can help with stuff like this?
(I work for the NHS and this is one of the things they ARE good at!)
I had to fill in a form explaining how my reduced hours would affect the department, how I proposed to deal with any issues from it etc, how it would benefit the dept to let me reduce hours etc, and they had two weeks to respond. If they had said no they would have had to give reasons in writing.
AFAIK it would possibly be constructive dismissal if you resigned over this - them refusing your request because they have changed your job while you were on mat leave.
The other thing I would do is check the minimum time you would have to go back for, ie how long do you need to work to avoid paying back your maternity pay. If they won't budge worst case scenario is you could maybe look at childcare for 4 days and hand your notice in after the minimum period? I don't advocate playing your employers generally but they aren't exactly treating you well by the sounds of it!

Sorry, x posted with people who know what they're on about! The NHS is quite PC wrt things like mat leave so we are spoilt and assume everyone else has the same thing. Do look into getting some advice from HR/union though, it's good to explore all the options.
Something that we were advised to do is to find out if there is anyone doing a similar job who also wants to reduce hours and could jobshare with you, not sure if your organisation is big enough for that. Then one of the jobs is a normal fulltime vacancy.

I can understand the 4 days v 3 days childcare costs thing, I would qualify for WTC if I were a single person and my takehome wage is not that much more than our childcare costs. DP does salary sacrifice but if I worked more days we wouldn't be any better off and I'd have even less time with LO (ideally I would be a SAHM and send her to nursery 2 sessions a week cos she loves it but not til we win the lotto!)