Change to contract after Maternity Leave - Advice needed!

[hypnotisingchickens]

My DS is 5 months old, and I'll be heading back to work in January. :( I'm heading in for my meeting with my boss on Monday and just wanted some clarity on a few contract issues as my boss is a bit of a snake.

I'll be hopefully going from full time down to three days per week. I understand that as I'm changing the terms of my original contract, she can have my salary reassessed and it is likely to come back less. Before I was on ML I was an assistant principal and she has said that I probably can't hold a leadership position on 3 days per week. Not great, but fair enough I guess.

However, when we first unofficially had a chat about me coming back, she suggested that my reduction to 3 days be a temporary change in case I wanted to up my days when DS is a bit older. If I did this, does it mean that she can't have the salary reassessed as its only a temporary change, or does that make no difference?

Any advice warmly welcomed - she is very good at paying people far less than they should be!

What do you mean re- assessed?

Do you mean you expect to do three days a week but have the same amount of pay? Or do you think they will reduce it (ie: pro-rata for three days) and reduce the rate of pay to a lower scale?

IMHO they would be within their rights to down scale the rate if you are asking to go back to a different job with a lower set of responsibilities, your other option I you want the same rate and salary scale is to return to your full time post.

Remember, they are accommodating your wishes, not vice versa her.

No, I meant reassess the pay scale as I'll be doing less work and have less responsibility. I understand that and think it's fair enough.
I just wondered if this would just be pro-rated down if it were only a temporary change to contract, as opposed to a full and permanent change.

If you return to your normal position but on a 3 day a week basis then your wage will need adjusting as per the hours you will be working so in affect your hourly rate will not change.

If you are returning to work 3 days a week to a new position with less responsibilities then your contract of employment will need to be reviewed and your wage and hourly rate will be changed to reflect the new position.

X-post. You could discuss a fixed rate contract for 12 months on the new hours and job spec with the flexibility to return to your original post after 12 months but that arrangement would be at your managers discretion and also whether your original role could be suspended for that period of time.

It's a lot to ask of an employer.

Has she already said that your pay scale will be adjusted down? Make sure you don't suggest it! I went back 3 days a week after my maternity leave, in quite a different role (much less responsibility) but my employer made no such suggestion.

It should be reduced in rate for reduced responsibility and pro ratad for part-time hours - and if it's reviewed later thn is the time it should be reviewed upwards if appropriate (ie for more hours or more responsibility)

If your responsibilities are going down then your salary should go down, regardless of whether that's a temporary situation or not. If you increase your hours again later, your salary should then reflect those hours and if you go back to a position of increased responsibility, your salary should reflect that also.

How are you proposing 3 days a week will work? Just wondering about not being able to do the assistant principal role on 3 days. If you're proposing your hours get covered by a job share or similar then why wouldn't that work at the more senior level?