Can you go back to maternity leave once returned to work?

[welshfirsttimemummy]

Basically, I have found out some changes might be happening at work (can't say too much as confidential), and if these changes happen it might end up in me no longer having a job.

My DS is less than 2 months old and I have been back working less than 2 weeks. I would much rather gave had full maternity leave but would struggle with bills so decided was best for me to return to work

Anyway, am I able to go back on maternity leave now I have returned to work? Also if I did would I then be protected from any changes that may have made me have no job anymore? (I'm not being sacked or anything)

I'm just thinking even though we would struggle with me getting SMP it would be better than nothing at all as I wouldn't be able to get another job as I am EBF and child care would just wipe out any earnings I made anyway, or I would never see DH.

So confused!

I tried this due to son having medical issues and the answer was no from HR and an employment lawyer. They said I could take unpaid leave at best.

Not an expert on the UK system but where I live there is a parental leave entitlement that you could use regardless of whether you have returned to work or not. Is there anything similar in the UK?

Maternity leave is no protection against redundancy - two of my friends were made redundant while off.

As you've been working less than 2 weeks I wonder if you could convert these to Keep In Touch days (you're allowed 10 to still keep your mat benefits). But it would have to be done with agreement by HR and its probably dodgy.

As the previous poster said, mat leave is no protection against redundancy. But if you've made a mistake going back too soon and you miss your baby, it can't hurt speaking with your HR team.

I think they are right that have no legal right to do so. Could you not just accept the changes they are going to impose at work?

Also are you saying any new job would pay a lot less than your current job? Surely you could find another job around the same pay level.

If the changes happened there would be no job and I couldn't really find another one like this one as it allows me to work from home. I was wondering about the keeping in touch days too.