Help! Part time working application rejected

[mummyofrb]

My work have rejected my application for part time working. They are saying I have to return to work full time or work 6 weeks then resign in order to pay back my SMP. When they rejected my part time application I got no email/letter. Have they treated this situation properly?? I'm really stressed as I don't want to return full time and can't afford to not work! My child is 10 months.

I'm not an employment lawyer bu my understanding is they have to give due consideration to your request and see if it could work with their business.
Are you a union member? That would be a good place to get advice.
Or maybe contact ACAS?

How do you know they have rejected it if you didn't receive an email / letter

You also need to remember that a flexible working request is just that, a request and that while your work have to consider it, if it won't work for the business then they are entitled to refuse it

My employer had a rule that you have to return to work for 3 months, or pay back maternity pay. Work on he same tend a you left it. So my flexible working request was agreed but didn't take effect until 3 months after returning. I used leave to cut down to 3 days a week in those 3 months.

You should have a letter confirming the decision and details of right to appeal
Did you think it would be granted
You won't have to pay back SMP only any enhancement
At the end of the day they only have to consider it
You have to decide whether to leave or go back
Maybe go back and look for a part time role

Has anyone gone back to work full time? I barely leave my daughter so feel it will just be too much! I'm only a TA so it's not a huge wage and don't want to feel I'm missing out on her growing up!!

If they haven't given me any letter should I ask for one or query why I didn't get one? I don't want to be too difficult for future references etc

Did you do a formal written application for part time hours?

How did they inform you that your application was rejected?

I've three children and work full time. People do it!
Plus as a TA you get 13 weeks holiday a year which is considerably more than most people.

You should have a staff handbook or policy that covers flexible working. Did you make a formal request? I would have thought that they have to respond in writing and give details of possible appeal.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/flexible-working/flexible-working-your-employer-refuses-your-request/

This may help

I did do a formal application it was rejected at a meeting in person with no written rejection of it!

If you are a TA, then you work in school / with young children, so will obviously be in a union. Talk to them - they will guide you through it.

You should have had a formal rejection letter with business reasons as to why they refused.

To be honest returning full time as a TA is a dream job. Term time only and short days. I'd see if you can get a term time nursery place and go for it.

Could you do as pp did and book annual leave for the 3 months making it part time?

Does anyone have any advice on working full time? I just can't bear the thought of been gone all day and feel she will not know me. Going from being with her 24/7 to away 9hours a day😭

I work full time, as do a lot of women and parents. I personally love it, but then i would never want to be at home 24/7. I love getting to be me again not just mum. I can go and get food/drink whenever i want without a baby in tow,and have normal adult conversations.

My advice would be to start building up and leaving her for periods of time now, more for you than her.

Have you got nursery sorted? My dd nursery had a 9 month waiting list so i put her on 3days after she was born.

Presume you have a partner? Share drop offs/pick ups, share leave for sickness etc.

I love the couple of hours in the eve with her and our weekends.

Was it difficult at first? Or did you enjoy right away. I am in a stable job so feel it's better for her in long run but I had mum who stayed at home and feel it's what I should do too! My mum will look after her which also makes me feel bad because my mum would be giving up all her time but I couldn't afford a nursery on my wage I'd be working just to pay nursery!

I work full time. I love it. Went back when daughter was 10 months. Get childcare you absolutely trust 100% - I chose a local childminder which fit our circumstances better than a nursery with lots of staff. I take annual leave for the 4 weeks she closes per year.

You could send her 3 days per week to childcare and your mum two days per week?

Hey OP, I’ve just had my part time request rejected too, have to go back full time when DD2 is just 9 months. It will be ok, it really will. I went part time after my first. That’s what I’d prefer but I then ended up having to go full time when she was 2 as it was the only decent job I could find after previous contract ended. It wasn’t what I wanted but it was fine. Of course your baby will still know you, you are their whole world and that will still be the case however many days you work. I also found my first DD thrived at nursery and did activities I’d never do at home (especially messy stuff). This is not the outcome I wanted either but I don’t have much choice so just going to have to make the best of it. Try not to agonise too much

Oh and I was notified in a meeting. They said they’d send a letter too but never did.

I loved it from the start.

I was off for 10months on maternity, and by month 8 i was itching to get back to work. I hated the lack of routine etc

It feels hard now but thinking ahead a ta job is fantastic for the school years which you will be in before you know it.

Everyone is different so the fact that some of us found it great to return to work doesn’t really change how you’re feeling. Of course your child wil know - millions of parents work full time or more and they aren’t estranged from their children.

Two things though for me stand out - you aren’t paying for your DD to attend nursery if you are still together with her dad. Also whilst initially it may suck handing over the equivalent of your wage to nursery you need to take a long term view. When she starts school that money frees up and you are in the perfect job - term time only, school hours. Don’t throw that away for a short term gain.

9 hours is a long day - do you have a long commute? School hours can't be that long.
They should tell you in writing and there should be an appeals process.
You can spend all holidays together which is good. Is this job one you enjoyed pre baby and wanted to stay in?

I don't drive to have to leave 7am back 4.30ish! I really appreciate all your comments it's sooo hard to imagine going back for me right now. School are quite unsympathetic so hard to put across my feelings, I did love my job before daughter was born but when I go in to visit whilst on mat leave I feel a disconnect and like I don't feel the same about the job, is this normal?

Op I know how you feel. I went back 3 days after 13 months mat leave (one month annual leave included). I would not have wanted to go back full time. I worked in public sector at the time and there was no stipulation that you had to work full time, just return for at least 3 months. Have you checked your contract / mat leave policy?