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Original poster

Returning after maternity leave

14 replies

Blueeyes91 · 22/10/2018 21:11

So I had a meeting today with my boss about returning to work. It was a fact finding meeting and so nothing has been agreed officially.

My job is online customer service. I answer emails and use the online chat to speak with customers. There are NO phones. Only online assistance. I work I.30pm to 9.30pm and my commute is 2 hours in. 2 hours home.

In my meeting today I asked if I could change from these hours to a normal 9 to 5 to assist with childcare. The answer was no. They are not hiring in my team for those hours and if anyone leaves they're not being replaced either.

I then asked of I could work 3 days from home instead as my partner can only do the nursery pick up 2 days a week with his job. The answer there was no as it wouldn't be fair on the team. (The team btw are not in this country and so I don't share an office with them).

I then asked if I could then work the hours they want all from home. Because I just dont see how I can make it work if they're not able to be flexible and change my hours or let me work from home 3 days a week. Shockingly the answer was yes...

BUT...

If I work from home 5 days a week I will lose my salary of £22k and go on to £8.80 an hour. They will no longer contribute to my pension, I won't be entitled to holiday or holiday pay. Nor will I be entitled to sick leave. I will also not be on a permanent contract. It will be renewed yearly... if they still want me. Is this even legal?!

I have been with the company for 4 years. I am one of the top employees in my team. Changing my hours or my working location for some or all of a week would not affect my job or how much work I would do in my day. I am simply asking that they help me so I can continue working and not have a very upset 9 month old 3 days a week with no one to pick her up from nursery.

I just don't know what to do. I can't see way where this is going to be possible and if I quit then I have to pay back maternity.

Feeling very down and lost.

OP posts:

BritInUS1 · 22/10/2018 21:16

So they want you to go self employed?

MynameisJune · 22/10/2018 21:18

Flexible working requests don’t have to be granted if the company has a valid reason that would affect business. You need to put the request in writing and get them to return by the same method detailing why they can’t make it work. On the form you need to make a case as to how this won’t affect the business. It’s up to you to do this, not the employer.

Also if working from home I would address how you’ll deal with picking up a toddler at say 6pm (most nurseries close around then) and still work until 9:30. This will get harder as baby gets older, more mobile and wants more attention.

Di11y · 22/10/2018 21:20

Really doesn't sound legal - call acas

Original poster

Blueeyes91 · 22/10/2018 21:20

That does seem to be what they want yes BritInUs1... but that's not what I want. I want job security and a bit of bend from my employer so we're all happy.

I went into that meeting willing to be bendy myself so we'd all be happy.

OP posts:

Original poster

Blueeyes91 · 22/10/2018 21:24

My one is usually in bed by 7pm. Pick up is 6pm and my partner would be home by 6.30 we did ask for a later pick up but they're not doing that.
My break when working 1.30 to 9.30 was 6pm to 7pm. So it wouldn't affect work on those days and my partner can do childcare when I'm working if she wakes.

OP posts:

namechangedtoday15 · 22/10/2018 21:33

As pp said, they don't have to grant a flexible working request if they have a business reason.

If you were allowed to work from home doing your normal hours, how in reality would you manage nursery pick up if your partner can't do it and you're online 1.30-9.30? Even if you could say get someone else to pick your DC up and drop home, how will you work and look after a DC?

Playing devils advocate, what did you think prior today would happen? You've been on maternity leave for 9 months knowing you work awkward hours and that your partner couldn't help 3 days - how exactly did you think it would work with nursery? Did you have a solution as to who would cover 5-9.30 (which would need covering if you did 9-5?). You need to pre-empt the questions and come up with a solution.

I agree that you need to put a formal request in writing addressing all of those points and setting out how what you're proposing won't affect the business.

Original poster

Blueeyes91 · 22/10/2018 21:44

As I said today was fact finding... and if I'm at home working in the evening I'd get my Lo at 6pm during my break which is until 7pm. My partner would be home by then so I can be in the office we have and he can do childcare. I would not be doing childcare of an evening!

I asked about the 9 to 5 to see if this was a possibility. And therefore if it was then a mum friend who's child will be with mine can be picked up by her. And I'll be able to get home and enjoy some time with my daughter.

I didn't ask for advice to be made to feel like an idiot. That happened today at the office. I asked for advice because my changing to say 9 to 5 wouldn't affect the amount of work they get out of me. Or if I did 3 days from home at the hours they want. That too would not affect the work I do either. They would still have me doing the hours they want and the same amount of work if I could do 2 days at the office and 3 days at home.

As it stands I will be in the office 5 days a week at these hours and so 5 days a week i won't see my daughter. Can no one understand how I feel right now?

OP posts:

december212 · 22/10/2018 21:54

They want you to work for £16k a year from home, but same hours as you were previously paid £22k for?! Would be even less than £16k without holiday pay. No wonder your not happy with that offer!

If they want you to be self employed, it might be worth looking at IR35 legislation (should find info on it on gov website) as it may be that this proves you to be an employee rather than a contractor and then certain employee benefits would apply.

december212 · 22/10/2018 21:54

*you're

namechangedtoday15 · 22/10/2018 21:55

I didn't mean to make you feel like an idiot, I'm just saying that there are 2 sides to this - obviously what you need, but also what the company needs. You need to approach it from the company's point of view - to show the business how what you're proposing won't affect them - so what benefit you could bring 9-1.30, who could cover 5-9.30. It isn't meant to sound harsh but this is down to you to show them how it could work - it's not your company's issue that you live 2 hours away and now have a baby. If they can accommodate what you want without disruption then they might budge but you have to kind of offer them the solution. I know it must be hard thinking they'd be flexible and worrying about seeing your DC.

MynameisJune · 22/10/2018 21:56

Every mother that’s returned to work has felt like you. I didn’t get the hours I wanted when I went back. 18 months later I got a new part time job.

It’s rubbish yes, but they are running a business and pay you to do a job. Whilst it would be awesome that every company could grant flexible working to all employees that’s just not the case. And the best way of going about it is to put it in writing with all your justification as to why it wouldn’t affect the business. It’s not just about them getting the same hours out of you, if there are more calls between 1:30-9:30 than there are 9-5, then they can argue they need you over peak times etc. Do you have figures on calls answered etc?

Loopy9 · 22/10/2018 22:05

This is so depressing to read, why do employers make it so hard to return to work after having a child.
Do you know anyone else who has done similar at your work place, if so a precedent has been set and this will help you as well. I would also ask your boss what is being done to support women returners.
I would also speak to Acas or look at their website for more information.
I hope you get what you need for your family, all the best.

HairyArmpits · 23/10/2018 08:20

This is depressing. The mothers returning always seem to draw the short straw all the time.

Definitely worth having a chat with ACAS

JulietB26 · 23/10/2018 08:38

It is disgusting that this sort of thing happens to women returning to work, especially as what we all want is job security. I was a teacher and made the decision to Childmind rather than not see my Child at all for five days a week - I hated the lack of job security but relished being able to be around my son (I also loved the work). However, if you could increase that amount to say £10.50 an hour for two years, you might be on to a winner. Doing that commute around a young child (and the cost of doing it) will be hard. As a mum, working at a lower salary might mean you have some financial help. Meanwhile, there are some Self Employed people doing your exact job for high pay from home - this might be an avenue for you to explore when not under the watchful eye of your employer. All I am saying, is that it might have its benefits too. Personally I returned to Teaching later two years ago, I found that I could not cope with 70 hours a week full time or my 50 hours plus part time. I am now Supply Teaching for SupplyNow. This is going well for me and they pay better than other agencies, however I do really miss being in a classroom and having that job security and better pay.

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