Here's the situation - I'll try and be brief (!):
I have worked at a small company as an assistant editor for 6 years. I had a baby last November and am due back in December.
When working, I lived in London during the week, but now I live full-time about 2 hours commuting distance away (so there's the added complication that Id like to request flexible hours by working from home 2 days a week, but that's another issue I guess).
After years of waiting, the position of editor has opened up and, had I not been on leave, the job would automatically have gone to me. Editor roles come up very very rarely in my company - it could be years before another job is available.
However, my boss just emailed me to tell me the job was available but said "I'm just telling you out of courtesy that the job is free but of course, for logistical and other reasons, you won't want it."
I realise that the same issues apply when I'm due back in December but I hope to have a solution to childcare by then as my mum is moving south and we hope be have moved closer to London then..but we can't do that quickly enough for me to start work as soon as this promotion job would require.
My boss wants it filled as soon as possible and there are several eager young (child-free!!) people ready to jump at the chance to move up in the company and can do so immediately. I have also heard through the grapevine that my maternity cover is so popular with my boss that she is keen to keep her on in the company permanently. I have visions of returning to work as a lowly assistant while my maternity temp cover lords it over me as an editor, which I find heartbreaking!
Anyway, the crux of the matter is this: do I have any rights in terms of saying 'please keep the (promotion) job open for me until I'm officially due back' or am I just a victim of bad timing and nothing can be done?