Maternity Leave

[MoodyTwo]

I will be taking 6 months maternity leave from work.

My company said they were initially going to cover with existing staff, however two weeks before they hired a permanent person for half of my job (the good half).

I then asked about my role and they advised a different role, which sounded ok! However I have found out they have now recruited permanently for that role aswell.

I only took 6 months maternity as I was under the understanding I returned to exactly my job

So will I just return to what's left of my role (as the other but was given away before I left)

What rights do I have to say no I don't want to do whatever they say I have to do now?

And how much notice do they need to give me for what I am going back to?

I'd rather know ASAP so I can find another job while on leave if I don't like what they have to offer.

Yes, you are entitled to return to the same job. I'd ask them to confirm that, as per the law, you will be returning to the same role. There's wording on the Acas and Citizen's Advice website that might be helpful.

My understanding is that if you only take ordinary maternity leave (I.e. 6 months as you are doing) then you are entitled to return to the same position. If your employer won’t let you do that then I expect you would have a claim against them on the basis of sex discrimination. It would probably be worthwhile speaking to these people:

maternityaction.org.uk

For that amount of mat leave you need to walk back into your normal job role.
You can raise it now.

As long as you are going back in the same position you left, i.e full time and not dropping to part time, then you are entitled to your role back. I went back 4 days instead of 5 and was forced to take a demotion.

Thank you all, it is pretty much what I thought.
However my return job as it was split before I left could they just say my job is now the other half of the job and expect me to return just to that?
How would I email them to ask, in a non negative way? I just want to know what I'll be doing when I go back .
Also, can they say we don't know yet ?