Part time to full time. What are might options / rights

[HGranger]

So here is the situation outlined in this post www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/3766610-Can-I-save-my-marriage

I am beginning to realise divorce is my only option. Unfortunately when I went back to work last year after maternity leave, I requested to go back part time. I went from a full time contract to working 3 days a week. This process was incredibly stressful and upsetting. My request was initially refused and I basically had to fight to prove it could be done. My preference would have a job share, but this was refused, so I'm currently doing a full time job in 3 days.

This was made possible due to my husbands income. Obviously if we were to divorce my financial situation would change and I would need to find a job full time. I never actually signed a contract which reflects the new hours, so am still working on my old contract, however I have been working this since September last year.

Has anyone successfully renegotiated hours back up to full time after working part time? How did you manage it?

Any advice would be very appreciated. I'm trying to suss out my options.

You don't have an automatic right to return back to full time hours I'm afraid, unless it was explicitly agreed that this was a trial period or similar. The fact you haven't signed an agreement to the new hours doesn't make much difference, you have been working those hours willingly and at your own request so that means those are your new hours.

Your best bet is probably a conversation with your manager to see what can be done, on the one hand the fact you 'fought' so hard to get the hours in the first place and now want to change back might make them a bit (although fully appreciate you've had a change in circumstances) and if they have already made arrangements to cover your work, hired extra staff or whatever then they are within their rights to say no. But on the plus side as they were so reluctant to let you go part-time, perhaps that gives you a good case to go back? I guess you really need to show what (extra) work you would do in the full time hours to them and demonstrate the value to the business in giving you the extra hours?

If they say no then your best bet is going to be applying for a new full-time job. You could ask if there are any internal vacancies for full time or additional hours you could apply for?

I went back to FT earlier this year - it was a new job and I had slightly painfully negotiated PT hours. After a few weeks I realised I was doing FT job in PT hours so I asked to go FT so I'd at least be paid properly! They were fine about it because it was allocated as a FT post.

I'd think about what their counter arguments might. If you're successfully doing a FT job in PT hours you've kind of proved that it isn't a FT job, haven't you.

A job share is more expensive for them than 1 FT person, it isn't as simple as one salary split between two people.

No I figured as much. I think there is nothing else for it but to cap in hand and see what could be done. I know there are potential areas of work that could be added to the role, it's just whether they are inclined to do so. I suppose my only consolation is that if I were to leave to find something else, they would probably end up advertising it as a full time one. It makes it all very real having these conversations.