Returning to work after maternity leave - advice needed - Daunted!

[Blueeyes91]

Hey all (sorry this is a little long, but please help!)

I plan to return to work officially on January 5th 2019. I know this is a Saturday. But that would be the official end date of paid maternity. So therefore I need to let my work know by November 10th when I want to return.

Before going back however I would like to speak with my boss about some potential changes and so need some advice.

First of all let me explain what my working week used to be like.
On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday I would work in the office from 1pm until 9pm. Then on Wednesday and Friday I would work from home from 1pm until 9pm. I would also work a weekend every 6 weeks. But would get the Wednesday and Thursday off in place of it. I have worked for the company since September 2014, so for 4 years now and this has always been the pattern. I work in customer service, so I spend my day answering emails and using the online chat to speak with customers.

My daughter will be going to Nursery on Monday and Tuesday. Unfortunately we simply cannot afford for her to be in Nursery full time.

My work has a maternity policy which states they do offer flexible hours to accommodate parenting. This is what it says:

WHAT IS FLEXIBLE WORKING?
Flexible working takes many forms. The most appropriate form of flexible working depends on your circumstances and the type of work you do at (company name)
Flexible working could include any of the following:
• part time work
• job share - where 2 people share one job, both working part time
• flexi time - where you’re required to work a set amount of hours per week, but can vary
your actual hours per day to fit with your parental responsibilities
• changing start and/or finish times
• working some or all hours from home
• compressed hours - where you work 4 long days rather than 5 standard days for example
• term time only working

I have mentioned to my boss previously the following options for my return:

• Changing my hours so I work 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. (with my usual Wednesday and Friday from home ).

• Working my normal hours but all from home. But would be willing to go in to the office every so often for catch ups and training when required.

• Only working in the office Monday and Tuesday and the rest of the week from home, but still doing 9am to 5pm.

Ideally I would prefer option 2 because it would just make my life a little simpler, I wouldn't have to worry about getting home in time to pick my daughter up from nursery. But option 3 is do-able to. Just a bit stressy on a Monday and Tuesday.

My boss has informed me that if I work my normal hours all from home that I would go on to a homeworker contract and would no longer be entitled to holiday, sick or a contribution towards my pension. And I would have to invoice each month to be paid. I would also be going down to £8.80 an hour. Whereas my salary is currently £22,000... I would still be working the same pattern of work, so Monday to Friday 1pm to 9pm, with a weekend work every 6 weeks.

What my boss would like is for me to do is work a mixture of 9am to 5pm and 1pm to 9pm during the week. Which makes me feel that I just won't really get to see my daughter much.

With my works flexible policy it just doesn't feel like they're willing to do it. The offer in the document all from home... But then when I mention it they tell me all of this would change? Is that right?

At this time I'm pretty daunted about my return, which is every new mum's feeling I am sure. And I know I'm not the first one who's wanted to change how they work when they return.

Advice is greatly appreciated!

If your DD will only be in nursery 2 days a week, who will be doing childcare for the rest of the time you are working?

I will have to work and childcare 2 days and my partner 1 day. We have no family or friends near by.

Do your work know that you'll be WFH with your DD there too?

Not sure what the work from home option buys you since you will presumably need to put your DD in childcare anyway - you can't work and care for a child, and your contract probably states that it's not permitted.

Not sure how you can work from home with a toddler

Post on the employment forum about the contract side of things. Sounds like they want you to go self employed so you'd also be paying your own tax and ni out of that 8.80/hr. However it doesn't work like that. If your hours and duties are all the same and you're not working for anyone else then it sounds like you're an employee. They don't get to determine your employment status, the law does that.

I've been working from home 3 days a week up until recently. No way in a million years I could do that with a child here. Let alone a customer service role.

Have you looked at childminders for childcare? We used a nursery with our first and a childminder for our second - childminder worked out about £300 less a month for the equivalent of a full time place.

There is no way you'll get any work done with a toddler running around! What if you're on a call and she starts screaming?

They don’t have to agree to flexible workjnbif it doesn’t fit with business needs....

I don't see how you can be working from home with a toddler. Would you be able to have your partner starting work early and finishing early then do afternoon-only slots with a nursery or a childminder for the early afternoon before he can collect?

The issue is not just about a homeworker contract but whether your employer would even let you look after her during working hours. They don't have to accept any flexible work, only if you can make a case that it works for the business.

Agreed with others - you simply cannot WFH and do child care

I doubt they will let you work from home with your child and you shouldn't anyway, you won't be able to give her and your work the attention they need. Also their self employment offer is dodgy for reasons above.

Imo your best option it to do compressed hours so work over 4 days. 2 in nursery. Your DH has 1 day. That leaves you to find one day. Possibly nursery or childminder or maybe you DH can sort something with his work?

You will not be able to WFH with the child there, they would never approve it and it would be impossible.

Could you work three long days so nursery 2 days, your DH does pick ups and he has her one day?

Could you work the 1-9 shift and only put DD in nursery for afternoons with DP doing the pick ups?
You'll get time with her in the mornigns then.

My work already know about the 2 days at home with her. That was already agreed upon before I went on maternity leave.

I don't answer the phones. I only answer emails and use online chat. We don't have phones for contacting unless an issue arises and we have to call the customer as well (rare)

The company has homeworkers already and 2 of them do the job fine while also looking after their child 5 days a week.

I would only have 2 days a week with my little one home. 2 days she'd be in nursery and 1 day my partner would have her.

My OH isn't able to drop off or pick up from nursery.

I'm not being rude. But my post wasn't about whether or not I could work 2 days a week from home. It's about negotiations with work.

Fair enough. I'd go for option 3 then. Monday Tues in the office working 9-5, perfectly doable and you'll get 4 days a week with your child plus bedtime. If boss wants some 1-9 you can do them from home

Have you calculated your take home pay if you become self employed? Is it feasible?