Firstly, I acknowledge I am lucky. My employer has an above minimum EMP package and agreed to my flexible working request when I returned to work after having DS1 with minimal negotiation that I had accounted for already so was fine to let the point slide.
Did a KIT day last month after asking to come in to catch up with various incredibly busy people, suggesting a few weeks later in the year I couldn't do so someone in our team could find the least bad day to meet them all. Got a message saying "looked at availabilities, you could either come in in October or next week", so I chose next week. I worked 5 hours that day and had already mentally spent the extra money I was expecting.
So my expectation was I'd see a 5 hours pay on my payslip (and in the bank) outside of the 90% of salary I realise I am still lucky to be receiving as EMP for about another week. Actually, of course what I got was less than 10% of my daily rate. In my brain, the KIT day payment didn't cover the cost of my train ticket and things are tight already.
If I'd had a nice day wafting round the office catching up with people over coffee etc perhaps I wouldn't have minded so much but actually it was 5 hours of pretty intense catch-up meetings with my entire chain of management whilst I tried to keep 10 week old DS2 from crying. The last meeting was my annual salary/bonus review meeting which did not meet even my especially low expectations being £0 in total. The office was almost silent, my team had been dispersed by a recent hot desk policy and I was struggling with the terrible ill fitting maternity clothes necessary as nothing else event faintly office-like would have gone over my body. I have learned it is almost impossible to project a professional aura when you've had no sleep and have an infant strapped to your chest who you must sway constantly to stop him from screaming the place down.
I've checked the legislation and the policy and I'm sure I was told about it back in the mists of time when I initially notified HR, I know they're within rights to do this it just feels like a kick from an organisation that is large, profitable and doesn't have to be quite so mean. But they are, that's why they're profitable. It reminds me of my low value as a flexibly working parent beyond being a contributor to the statistic they can add to their various award applications shouting about what a family friendly employer they are.
No advice required (unless by some magic this was all illegal and I should sue). Just some supportive words and the chance to get this off my chest. And perhaps the satisfaction that someone else who searches "payment for KIT day" finds it so isn't quite as disappointed as me. My learning is not to bother going in until later in my leave (like I did last time) so it comes as extra money.