Made redundant and 36 weeks pregnant

[Jaynex]

I just left the hospital yesterday after being given the date of my c-section and hadn't even had the time to phone anyone with the exciting news when my work got in there first with the news that I have been made redundant and need to go in for a meeting on Friday (tomorrow) to discuss the ins and outs of it all.

A letter arrived this morning laying out the formalities of the meeting.
It states that I can have a companion in with me for support who is either:

• a full-time official employed by a trade union; or
• a lay trade union official who has been certified in writing as having experience of, or training in, acting as a worker's companion at grievance, disciplinary or redundancy hearings.

I have just phoned them up to point me in the right direction to find such a person and they said that I didn't have a trade union to belong to and that was just something that had to be put in the letter just in case I happened to be part of some secret bloomin' union or some such nonesense.

Not really sure how I feel about it all as I thought I'd planned my maternity leave and everything was in order. Now I'm a little bit jittery about the future. It'll be a bit difficult looking for a new job while nursing a baby. I also have a 16 month old in tow.

I'd only just got my maternity letter yesterday morning stating my back to work date and weekly payments.

Just when I thought I had my life planned out and organised I get this little surprise.

I've worked there 15 years and even though I know they would never admit it and have themselves fully covered I just know that these 2 close together pregnancies have not been looked upon favourably.

If they can'tmake you redundant before this meeting, isn't it in your interest to postpone it? Is it in their interest to make you redundant before you actually begin maternity leave?

I find it suspicious that the meeting is so urgent. Person the critical person going on holiday should rearrange his/her holiday if it's so important.

Uwila is bang on the money.
At he absolute least you need an email sent right now to them saying that you are coming in but under protest. Make sure you include the fact they they are refusing to grant you a time slot that would allow you to get representation.
Also I very very much doubt the "holiday" story.
You say this is a large firm, must be someone else who can do this.

You need to get this stuff in writing, and recorded.

CC it to someone senior in the firm as well.

Hi Dominiconnor,
my letter states that I can have a companion in with me for support who is either:

• a fellow worker (i.e. another of the company's workers)
• a full-time official employed by a trade union; or
• a lay trade union official who has been certified in writing as having experience of, or training in, acting as a worker's companion at grievance, disciplinary or redundancy hearings. I didn't really want to ask anyone at work to come in with me in case they felt awkward about it in any way but after all the advice here I have just phoned a friend and he is happy to accompany me. My meeting is at 4pm. I know that if am am indeed made redundant that it will not affect my maternity leave and will commence after that has ended. I had only put in for 4 months (as I took a year off to have my 16 month old and I thought it would look bad). I would have taken full maternity leave if I had known they were going to be doing this. Maybe I can extend it as I am still emplyed and I only need to give them 4 weeks notice to extend it? Today's meeting is mainly about explaining my position and options to me. I will not be asked to sign or verbally agree to anything. I won't comment on anything that is offered and I will make notes. I am aware that HR is employed by my company but am also aware that they should be making sure that the company doesn't put itself into any danger re it's procedures.

You can indeed take more maternity leave. Definitely put in for the maximum. And if you need/want to change it, you can.

Make sure you take notes, and at the risk of sounding like a cracked record, do not agree anything.
They may well say "if you don't accept the terms now, you'll get less".
The only possible response is " I rather expect the tribunal to award me more for this blatant sexual discrimination".
Point out the rather strnge "coincidence" that in a mostly male environment both pregnant women are being sacked.
Also I'd get in contact with the other woman, if I was a manageron the other side of that I'd reach for the checkbook PDQ.

and dont think you can rely on "friends" at work because when it comes down to it, if you did take this company to tribunal, its highly unlikely any collegues would help you out. (no matter what they say). they dont want to lose their job. out of 50 people i worked with, 40 were erm...i dont know..people who liked me?, around 15 were friends (or so i thought), about five of them close friends. i am now left with one who still speaks to me. (and still, he wouldnt have helped me out, i know that so i never asked). you cant blame them really, they need their jobs as much as the next person, but its still sad that people wont do the right thing.

So, how did it go?

i do feel for you because I was made redundant at 36 weeks also and fortunately they did pay me off well but it is the worst thing to have just before the baby. I got notified the day I went on maternity leave and did get legal advice. I was told that the courts would look at how long it would take you to get another job ignoring the fact that you were pregnant and may want to do part-time hours. As in my job it would have been relatively easy had I not been pregnant I would not have got much more than I was being paid, i.e 3 months. Therefore I did not take it further. But this may be something you wish to look at. Also take my advice do not jump at the first job you are offered. I made a big mistake that way. You should also be entitled to all of your maternity pay as well as your redundancy money. Ask for it to be pensioned as well if you are part of a pension scheme to make full use of this.