Can employer change my hours from P/T to F/T after maternity leave?

[Jemster]

Hi there, I am hoping someone can help or offer me some advice on my work situation.

I will be going on maternity leave in March and my employer has started recruiting for my maternity cover. I currently work 5 mornings a week and have done since returning from my first maternity leave 3 years ago.

My boss has told me that she will be recruiting someone to do full time hours while I am off as she has a lot of additional projects that she wants them to do. She has also slightly changed the job description to reflect this and the job title has been changed from Administrator to Officer. I felt a bit put out about this but could understand she wanted to make good use of my replacement and get help with the extra projects. I just assumed that everything would return to how it is now when I go back but over the weekend have been thinking what if she has done this as a way of making me return full time after my maternity leave. I really can't imagine that she would be happy with a part timer once she gets used to having someone to assist her full time for several months.

When she told me what she was doing regarding the maternity cover she said I was not to worry about any of it - she knows I am a bit of a worrier! She didn't mention anything about me having to return full time but it looks to me like this is her plan. I had to fight to get part time last time I was on maternity leave and it took several months to reach an agreement with them, which caused me a lot of stress and worry while I was meant to be enjoying my maternity leave.

I have read on the internet that maternity legislation says if you go back by 6 months they cannot change your job or your terms & conditions - would this include hours worked or is just salary? I was planning to take 9 months but would change to 6 months if it meant I could definitely keep my part time hours. Also what about the fact she has changed my job description and title for the duration of my m/l - would I be entitled to those changes when I go back?

I have been worrying about this all weekend and am not sure what to do now. I should probably speak to my boss about my concerns but I don't think she would be honest with me at this stage and if this is her plan, I think she will keep her cards close to her chest! I just don't really want to go through another maternity leave worrying constantly about my return to work.

Any advice would be gratefully received.
Thanks

No she can't.

If you go back after 6 months you are entitled to your same job back. If you go back later than that and your job isn't available, you can instead be offered something suitable on the same terms and conditions, which would mean the same hours, salary etc

It does sound plausible that she's taking the opportunity to get some extra stuff done, also easier to recruit a f/t mat cover I imagine as well. I wouldn't automatically assume there's a sinister motive.

If I were your boss and valued you, I imagine in a similar situation I would jump at chance of getting a full-time maternity cover. I would get extra work done meaning you wouldn't have it all to do on your return, and I would find it far far easier to hire on a full-time, temp basis than a part time one.

I see no reason at all to worry about this.