Can work close regional office whilst I'm on mat leave?

[SecretSquirrelTV]

Help!
I have worked for my employer for 10 years and am 6 weeks away from having first child. And 2 weeks away from finishing work.

Work recruited for my role and opted for a permanent employee rather than fixed term contract. The intention being this person can cover my role but also do a bit of learning in a couple of different business areas so they can do a number of roles/as business expands, as well as assist me when I return from mat leave in a year. Which was verbally agreed by my line manager on the basis of 4 days a week.
This person wouldn't be working from my current regional office but our main office.

Fast forward a few months and it seems there are plans to close the regional office I work in at the moment and centralise to the main office (a 1 hour 20 min commute by train, plus driving, each way). This plan coincides with when I go off on mat leave (or within a month or so). This affects a handful of others who are predominantly sales people and who hot desk in the main.

I'm not supposed to know about the plans and I think this is why they hired a perm replacement for me, and not due to expansion etc like they said. I am currently training the person! I think they wanted them in situ & trained up as they must know I can't/won't commit to working so far away from home, when I come back.

So this leaves my head spinning in that I am about to go on mat leave (we only get stat) but expect that I will have to come back to a job well over an hour each way away from where I live.
Which leaves me with worries about childcare & work life balance etc.
What if I get a call from nursery to say I've got a sick child etc, husband is a regional manager so away from home city often.
I also mentioned to my line manager/a director about getting conf of the 4 day return in writing and he said 'yeah but you should add 'subject to board approval' on the email just so it doesn't look like I've just agreed it' even though there was no mention of this when we spoke.
After 10 year I can't believe they would treat me like this!

Can they do this?
Will I have to work back my maternity if I didn't want to work in main office upon return?
Can I apply for redundancy or something in this instance, if they are not offering me same working conditions I left with?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks x

Bluntness, I didn't say that she was trying to close the office

I just meant her position to negotiate redundancy or potentially strengthen a case for flexible working.

OP I hope it all works out for you. I fully understand how hard this is having been there myself but please try and find some reassurance in the fact that time is on your side. This could also be an opportunity to try and work out your ideal work life balance.

Thanks MaverickSnoopy you have been really informed and supportive, I feel much better than I did on the matter! X

sigh clearly the summer holidays are taking their toll and I need to go to bed. I meant that I didn't say she was trying to keep the office open! Bed time now!

@SecretSquirellTV just wondering if you've checked your contract?

@SecretSquirrelTV would help if I could spell!

Thanks @MaverickSnoopy it says x is my permanent place of work but that we can be asked to work at any of the sites (no mention of reasonable distance) other than we can be asked to move with reasonable warning. So think that leaves me stuffed??!
I think I'm going to just confront my boss and say I have a feeling something's going on and I'd like to know now if so et . Then at least I know definitely and know if they plan to offer any concessions/let me wfh 2 days a week etc.
What do you think? And thanks for checking back in with me, really nice x

Both DH and I have a 1.5 hr commute each way, and work 5 days a week. My biggest challenge is nursery drop off, as most don't open until 7:30, but thankfully DH does drop off every morning, so gets in to work at 9:00, whilst I start work at 8:00, so that I can finish at 16:00 to make it back in good time to do pick up. I also negotiated working from home at least one day a week and occasionally do 2 which helps (nursery us 5 mins from home). I have an 18 month old and a 3 year old with a health condition so have had to dash back to nursery to pick her up when's she's become unwell. Those times traffic is usually lighter as everyone else is in work, but it still feels like a lifetime. A long commute is doable, but I wouldn't be able to do it without splitting childcare arrangements 50:50 with DH.

Thanks @PlugUgly1980, it's about lifestyle choices I guess.
I don't want or need to work full time, I want to work 4 days a week and not have my baby in nursery from 7-6pm.
It's not a criticism of anyone who does, just about choices and preferences.
My husband earns significantly more than I do, so flexible working for him that affects our bottom line doesn't seem worth it and he works away often, though he is usually home at night, he can sometimes leave at 5:30am and come home at 8/9pm so the possibility of a set childcare routine incorporating him is low.
I think I just need to speak to them and see what (if any) concessions they are willing to offer me to move to the other site and go from there.
If there's no concession/flexibility then I think that will be decision made/forced and I'll have to look for a new job at the end of my maternity leave x

You can contact ACAS who should be able to give you some expert advice. I would suggest not worrying about it too much now. A lot can happen in a year. I'm about to return to work from mat leave and while I had everything agreed with them a few months ago, they're now making unreasonable changes to my agreed working hours the week before I go back! It's stressful but my point is that you can think everything is going to work out the way you want it to but then unfortunately it all changes at the last minute.

And similarly, other opportunities may arise for you within the company over the course of the next year which are in your favour. Worst case scenario is you need to start looking for another job towards the end of your mat leave or maybe go back part time while you're looking. Or you always have the option not to go back if that works for you and your family.

Don't let work stress affect you now when there's little you can do about it and have lots to look forward to!

Actually I think that if they haven't specified a distance then it might go in your favour. Remember that the law supercedes contracts. Give acas a call to see what they say. They're very normal people.

I would take the softly softly approach with your manager and try to be calm about it.

One thing is can promise you is that when you are holding your baby this will all pale into insignificance.

Well that sounds like it could be good news, I'll contact ACAS, thanks @MaverickSnoopy, you've been a real support and calming influence.
I'm not really a control freak or mega planner, I just assumed after 10 years and having such a relationship with them, they'd tell me asap and work out a bit of a plan.
A bit of 'certainty' ish to come back to etc, would have been nice.
But I'm sure you're right, looking forward to baby now. Thank you all again. X