advice needed feeling disadvantaged

[cat88]

I'm back at work after maternity leave and its a huge time of restructuring.
Whilst on leave I was asked, since the role had moved on, if I would consider coming back full time. I did offer to up my hours to over 30 hours per week, provided I could work some (only the additional hours) from home, as my employer is supposed to be encouraging this.

However this was knocked back and I came back on the understanding I would work 3 days and someone else would be recruited for 2 days a week.

To allow me to get up to speed, my maternity cover (full time) would be kept on until the end of the year. We are now merging with another section and there will effectively be two of us plus my maternity cover going for the one position - other two are both full time.

I have not been allowed access to emails etc, key meetings on the restructuring, since I am not currently doing my original role and wont be until January. I am therefore out of the loop on whats going on and feel disadvantaged but want to try carefully and find out where I stand. Any advice?

Anyone? I'm well aware my boss is saying one thing to me and potentially another thing elsewhere. I'm not sure if the problem is me having been on maternity leave and out of the loop for the last few months, or my current part time hours. Anyone with any advice in this situation? I like my job but am feeling pushed out.

I don't really understand. You are back doing three days and they are recruiting for a job share. At the same time there is a restructuring and you will be competing for a job. Same job or new job? Why only one job, why are both departments not all at risk? What do you mean you are not doing your original job until January?

Sorry but I'm not very clear! If you could explain a bit more that would be helpful.

Also, if you've been told your job is at risk, what reason have you been given when you've asked why you can't attend meetings etc?

Thank you Flowery for responding and sorry I'm not being clear. I am just back at work from maternity leave doing 3 days and faced with a situation I did not expect and feel I am being pushed out.

I am not yet back in my actual job (think of it as being similiar to a PA type role to a Director.) Instead I am helping two other managers with their projects until the end of the year.

The person who was covering my maternity leave is working full time and is still in my original job until the end of the year.

I was told prior to return that they would need to recruit to the other 2 days as they needed 5 days covered. However, that has not yet happened. I have offered to help with this process and was told they now need to think more about it.

My maternity cover has been told to tell key people in the organisation that there will a full time person in my original job in the New Year. That is my permanent role that I am contracted to.

I queried this and was told that a key meeting had to take place which had not yet happened and then they would be able to let me know the situation.

At the same time the whole department is being reorganised. In my original job I would have had access to emails and key meetings which would help me understand how the restructure is happening. I don't have this access now.

The idea of keeping my maternity cover on for these additional 2 months was to allow a handover, as I was also involved in a number of projects and processes etc may have changed.

However, I am not allowed to attend key meetings with the others at my level to find out how things are. I have requested that I be allowed to attend as part of getting up to speed for January - even offering to come in on my days off should that be required.

However I was told I am not in that role at the moment, my maternity cover is very sensitive about the situation, and therefore I could not attend. There are no minutes to date, I have asked colleagues who are willing to speak to me to give feedback. Unfortunately, my maternity cover will not have any one to one meetings with me. We do have a team meeting but there is little in the way of a handover at these, despite my attempts to make sure I am up to speed.

I feel I am being isolated and not confident that things will progress as I had been assured that they would prior to my return to maternity leave. I feel the main reason for this is that I want to work part time even although I have offered changing my working pattern, doing more hours - to over 30 and coming in for meetings, events on days that i would not normally work.

I would be grateful for any advice on how I should proceed.

So you are currently working outside your own normal department, and are due to return there in the New Year, in the meantime it is being reorganised and you are not involved?

To what extent have you challenged this with your manager? You say you've "been told" things, but is that the official line or just hearsay from others?

I think you need to challenge it properly. Assuming you have done this with your manager and aren't getting anywhere, is there HR you can talk to about your concerns?