What do I do now - update from purple princess

[purpleprincess]

Some of you may have read my post a few weeks ago see \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=2310&threadid=180578&stamp=060608204851\here} about my company wanting me to go from 3 to 4 days and expand my current role. I have DS 4 and DD 21 months and do not want to do any more hours - 3 full days is plenty and tbh would like to reduce hours as DS starting school in September (mornings only for first term). Been on holiday and given it some thought and really dont want to do it. getting some advice from friend of family who works at CAB and have told boss not able to discuss yet (been on holiday for a week and today first back). Anyway on top of all this and the final cherry on the cake - my childminder phoned last night to tell me that she is giving up childminding from mid-August to work in a pre-school. I had no idea about this and was completely taken aback. This obviously puts a new slant on things and cant help thinking - maybe this is fate etc all this happening at once. Maybe should do something different with my life etc I'm 40 next year and maybe this is an opportunity etc.. Obviously the happiness of my family is my main concern but i'm worried about the financial implications as well. I'm half inclined to jack it all in and spend some time with my family but I do bring in enough money for it to make a difference and think we would really struggle without it.

Help!! Where do I go from here.....

Bump? Please?

What are your interests in RL? could you expand an interest/hobby into a career? Anything else closer to home in the same field that would let you do part time too?
I'd play for time with them anyway - say no - keep taking the salary and be looking for something else meantime.
They don't seem to be coming up with alternatives to make it easy for you. But they can't sack you and they can't replace you easily - so you hold all the cards.

Nothing that I could think of that I particularly want to do or that is suitable - I'm not that into anything I'm afraid! Trouble is I now have the timescale thing of my childminder finishing effectively in mid -August (as she is on hols for two weeks then starts new job in Sep with new school term) and DS starting school mornings only from then. Serves me right for being so smug and thinking it was all going to be easy as CM could take him to school etc etc. Still waiting to hear from CAB contact but dont want this hanging over me for too long it is too stressful!

Thanks

could you offer to do 4 shorter days? and start looking into nurseries as a replacement to CM?

I have said in the passed that i might be interested in changing to school hours when both at school but that is not until 2009. If i did that i wouldn't be doing any extra hours across the week. They have admitted in an email that ideally the role would be full time but they understand I have other commitments. Also still have DD to consider who is 21 months. Really dont think they would go for that as it wouldnt be increase in hours. They havent given me any alternatives or said what would happen if I say no. Makes me feel a bit sick the thought of the discussion I'm going to have to have!!

Could you suggest a job share with someone - if you offer to do all the training so the new bod can do part of your role, they may be more inclined to say yes

I remember suggesting job share when i was due to come back from ML the first time and they didnt go for it. It worked out that i changed roles slightly (to what I'm doing now) but tbh I think they are making this up as they go along. They havent thought about this at all strategically and as far as any marketing plans or the department are concerned. I'm just losing interest and dont really want to be hear anymore - although have come back from holiday today so always grim first day back. However things are changing round here, people keep leaving and not being replaced and it is not a nice place to work any more like it once was. what I'm really looking for is what else I can do outside of here that would fit in more with my life and my family but still bring in a bit of money. have looked at local council website and jobs in schools etc so might see if anything there.....

I would make an appt to see an employment lawyer and see where you stand. imo you are 100% not sackable - could prob take them to court for constructive dismisal - and would be pushing them for some kind of payoff/redundancy package. Then you can have a buffer of money to start whatever you fancy - maybe retrain at college or something?

I am waiting to hear from contact at CAB but - call me a wimp I really dont want to go down that route of threatening legal action. I'm no good at playing these games and part of me would rather be honest. However if I do that I would be talking myself out of a job - but maybe that's what i want - however the money would be useful!!

Whatever happens I cant bear this situation and uncertainty for much longer and will have to talk to them. Also need to look at other childminders just in case and the thought of that is horrible.

Thanks for your advice so far and I'll keep you posted!

You don't have to threaten them with it - just casually 'drop' into conversation 'I really hope this doesn't get messy/legal' it'll be enough to put the frighteners up them. But I'm sure the boss will have made sure of the company's position before startng all this. Very foolish of them not to in todays society. The empoyers have virtually no rights at all and rely on employees letting them away with it.

Just spoken to CAB and have confirmed it is not a redundancy situation but potentially constructive dismissal if they insist on me doing the extra day. I need to talk to them which will probably do on Monday as that is when my boss next in. Also i should draft something outlining why I dont want to extend my hours etc. Trouble is what I really want to do is reduce them but not sure if I should say this or not? Have been thinking this for a while TBH and starting to question even working for this company any more - starting to leave a bad taste in my mouth!

Anyway - they need to come up with a potential solution and I will suggest some stuff as well but wont be looking forward to Monday at all. I dont mind so much talking to my boss about it but it is the marketing director who is the scary one. Yes I know that sounds pathetic but there you go.
In the meantime I've seen a nice part time term time only job in a local school that i might apply for and better start looking at some other childminders!

PP

Any advice for how to handle this on Monday - especially with regard to whether to mention that I really would prefer to reduce my hours. They has said that the job they want me to do in 4 days is ideally a full time role - which is obviously no good to me! I have got a suggestion that there is someone else in the company who could potentially do this job (she covered my ML and is young and keen etc) and maybe I could do something else - i.e. some of the stuff she is doing now maybe on reduced hours but not sure whether to say this or not? Also I do think they need to employ someone else as we seem to be trying to run this bit of the department on a skeleton staff. Whether I say any of this or not depends on how it goes I guess.

Any advice on how to handle and what to say would be really appreciated!

TIA

Bump please.

TIA

If anyone is still interested (Tracey K perhaps?) I've just been in and told them that I dont want to do extra day - I was honest about my reasons and although they were suprised I think they were OK about it. I didnt say anything about wanting to do less hours at this stage. So now they have to think about how they might re-arrange thing. They said it was better to be honest etc but not sure what will happen now. In the meantime I am still going to apply for a school job i saw which would be term time only and see what happens....