Is this discrimination?

[NigellaSeed]

To offer new shift patterns on a first come first serve basis, not offer to those on maternity leave, and then the desirable shift pattern is unavailable?

@NavigatingAdolescence

Let’s hope there isn’t evidence of a letter or email being sent to the OP.

We’re you really clueless of the changes, OP? All those colleagues - were you not in touch with any of them?

as I say I knew before I left that the new shift pattern thing was going to happen, but when I left they hadn't set a date, and all I know now is it happened in 2020. No letters no emails.

I had to call HR twice because my line manager hadn't contacted me about my return to work - at that time there was 6 weeks to go and was getting worried why I hadn't been contacted. Haven't heard from my employer all my leave - except when I called them in January - otherwise nothing.

My manager has form for making mistakes too. He left my MATB1 in his drawer for about 14 weeks and another manager found it and submitted it to HR for example.

Thanks @Littlegoth

And then your manager didn’t communicate the shift pattern change with you?

Discuss raising a grievance against your manager.

[quote NigellaSeed]@Accidentlyonpurpose - the shift pattern I had before I left no longer exists - every single employee has had to choose a new pattern - so I haven't really asked for flexible working I've just picked one of the 20 hr patterns - presumably this issue I'm facing could of happened to me if I'd gone back full-time - I may have ended up being given a FT pattern that was all evenings and weekends for example, IFSWIM. sorry, I hope that's what you were asking :) [/quote]
It does and I think it helps your case, because it makes your change in hours irrelevant if you couldn't have gone back to what you had even if you worked full time.

You can ask to return to your original hours on your original shift even if it's just for long enough to not have to repay your enhanced maternity pay?

@AccidentlyOnPurpose Thank you. I've just sent an email to my union rep. Hopefully this will get sorted for me and I just return without too much Argy-bargy

I appreciate everyone's thought on this, ive been so stressed

@NavigatingAdolescence you just got me thinking out loud 😊