Consultation process around due date

[EnglishRain]

My employer started a consultation but have now delayed it due to covid.

My baby is due in July. I am expecting to have a c section and have ongoing issues with my manager regarding bullying and discrimination on the grounds of disability.

They say they can't tell me when the process will restart but say it definitely will. How reasonable is it for them to start it around the time I am due to give birth? I genuinely don't feel like I can actively participate in the weeks after a c section, and with my disability/risk of PND being high

What's the consultation for?

Whether it's reasonable to expect them to delay it for weeks will depend on what it's for and what the impact would be of them delaying it to fit around you.

My team consists of four roles at the same grade. They are lowering three of the roles by two grades, and changing the remit of the remaining post at the current grade. The fourth post is vacant, but there are three of us currently doing the roles.

It's NHS. The team has had big issues and an investigation was done. Instead of dealing with issues they are effectively trying to push the people out that are raising concerns. Conveniently, the two who are both pregnant and due to go on mat leave before the middle of summer are the two being pushed out. They originally tried to promote the other person up a grade, but finance refused to fund it. So they are now effectively demoting/making the other two redundant instead.

They were pushing ahead with the consultation and going to do the rest of it via conference calls until last week, but they have now delayed it due to coronavirus. They say they have no idea when they can start it again, just that they will.

If they have no idea when it will restart I honestly wouldn’t spend time now worrying about what happens if it is around your due date and you don’t feel able to take part. Both of those things might not be the case at all.

If it does turn out to be around your due date, and, at the time, you don’t feel able to take part, then talk to them about whether it could be delayed or an adjustment made.