I'm due to start maternity leave in the next 4 weeks. I currently work as a senior manager, reporting to director level, for a small company.
Our company got bought out by another company back in April and since then there has been talk of a restructuring / redundancies. Communications about this are due to go out the week before I finish.
My boss has cancelled my past 1-1s so I haven't been given any information about what is happening to my role. I've been told who will replace me whilst I am on leave, and having spoken to him it seems he has been given more information than me! My department looks likely to be moved under the responsibility of another senior manager (currently a colleague), which means even if I were to keep my 'role', my level of seniority in the business will change and I may even lose my line management responsibilities. On top of this, my boss made flippent comments to my replacement about how he could keep doing my role even when I return or 'if I don't return'.
When I announced my pregnancy, my boss was skeptical about whether I would return. He questioned how I would cope given that neither myself or husband have family nearby to assist with childcare. Since announcing my pregnancy, I've been pretty much sidelined and have seen numerous responsibilities within my department being siphoned off elsewhere. This is my first baby, and I've had plenty of sexist remarks about how I will cope with that and my job. I'm in a 90% male company so I'm used to those sort of remarks and generally just turn a blind eye.
However, I'm pretty frustrated about how they've handled my pregnancy. I only moved to this company on the basis that it would allow me to move into a senior management position; that is what I enjoy. My performance reviews have been excellent, my pay reviews excellent, my bonuses excellent. Since announcing my pregnancy everything has changed and I feel like I'm being written off.
I've been the utmost professional during my pregnancy. I've had no time off, I've worked the hours back for scan appointments, I've travelled with business to wherever I've needed to be, no complaints. They've seen no difference in my performance as far as i'm concerned. I haven't received the same back.
Any advice - either how I handle it before I go or my legal position to protect my job on my return? Employment law seems complex, and the threat of company restructure following the buy-out makes it doubly so.
Thanks.