Feeling sidelined since back at work: do I stay or go

[ksmum]

I have worked for the same small (30 staff) company for 10 years. Been on maternity leave for 9 months and came back PT in Jan. Am now doing 4 days a week (won't let me do any less).

I am a board director and before I left I really loved my job and was really central in the company.

My boss (MD) is not a very nice man and regarded it as a personal betrayal when I went on maternity leave.

Also while I have been away another director, more junior to me, has been rather sneakily curryign favour.

Since I have come back he has completely ignored me, has nto given me my old accounts back and doesn't bother to tell me about important decisions. I also know he has had several 'private' meetings with this othre director about things which affect me and which when we have directors meetings we are supposed to be discussing, but they have already made a little plan.

On the one hand I think well I can just sit here doing work I could do 10 years ago and being paid a fortune. But on the other, I feel like I am wasting my time.

What do I do?

Sit it out, hope it will change.

Look for another job?

Company is moving office soon and I sort of feel maybe it is time to look again. On the other hand, better the devil you know and can I handle the stress of a new job when I am already really busy.

Right, in your position I'd

• Firstly take my concerns to MD. Tell him how much you were lookign forward to coming back. Explain your concerns. Ask him for a response.
• Put it in writing. Ask him how he intends to rectify it.
• forget about other person, it's a red herring to an extent imo, unless other person is male, is he?
• while you're doing this, start putting out feelers for another job
• keep looking but in the meantime document every meeting, conversation, keep every email
• are you in a union? Can you join one?

It sounds like sex discrimination and the sort of sneaking insidious vile sort that very often leads women to leave perfectly good jobs because tossers like this get away with demoralising them until they leave.

Btw, I have taken a (v large) employer to tribunal, not funny, cost me £12k and I lost as it was my word against theirs. V V stressful and althugh I wouldn't recommend it I would suggest getting legal advice and taking it from there. Make sure you've checked what your contract says, your job descripton, and what you're doing compared to that.

Good luck, this sort of treatment stinks.

In effect you have not returned to your old job which you were entitled to do. As such you have suffered a demotion.

This is clearly directly due to pregnancy/leave so probably sex discrimination.

You certainly need to raise this as a formal grievance. If they are unwilling to rectify this then you may be able to resign and claim constructive dismissal. That will all depend on how they handle the grievance too. Make sure you know what you want as a resolution.

Also, take professional advice as it is a complex area.

Also, ksmum, check your household insurance policy and you may find it covers legal expenses (mine does) and that this includes employment advice. The insurance company will probably have a free helpline to get initial legal advice about your employment position.

You can't do nothing. Nothing will change except for the worse.

I'm not sure if you are entitled to the job you left since you came back. I think if you back to work in 6 months, you are entitled to the job you left. And, if you return in the following 6 months, then you are entitled to an equivalent job. However, I think you could argue that the job you have in not equivolent to the one you had.

This definately smacks of sexual discrimination. I would fight back (in the manner WWW suggested) and start looking for a new job.

Do you think the discrimination is a result of having been on maternity leave or the fact that you only work part time now?

They can only put you in an equivalent job if its not reasonably practicable to give you your old job. In general, its only if your original job no longer exists. They can't say they have someone else for example who is doing it now. They would really have to prove why it no longer exists etc and I would expect an employer to consult with an employee on leave if the job was being re organised or redundant etc.

They can't just decide that they want to put you somewhere else or in another role for the sake of it, and/or because you have taken AML

Hi all,

Thought I would get your thoughts before I jump into conclusion.

I have a few weeks left before I go on mat leave. I work for a smallish company and for the last month I have been working on a project that could generate new business. It's now time to implement this. However, my boss sent a message saying as I won't be available in a few weeks, someone else should run the important meetings. There is no point in being part of it as I won't be a steady reference to stakeholders.

Am I being discriminated or my boss is taking practical measures?