Well this is a long one, so please bear with me.
I have got 15 days left of my maternity leave. On dec 12th I went in to work, after arranging childcare for the day to "discuss" my return to work. After a lengthy 3 hours I left my offer with them, of working 3 evenings per week.
My manager who I shall call A warned me that it was unlikely to be agreed as it was below the minimum 16 hours per work (I said firmly that I could work 12 and that was that) and that it was also likely I would have to work weekends. (My previous contract prior to mat leave was 11 hours, so I have increased the amount of hours, I know it is only one hour, but it is an increase all the same).
The long and short of it was that she rang me back the very same day and said "great news" it has all been agreed by her Senior Manager who will be called B, who said that yes, under the circumstances it was fine.
Well done for getting this far. So up until this point, as far as I was concerned, all agreed.
The manager (A) who had sorted it out then went of on suspected long term sick so could not be contacted, but however gave me her mobile in case of an emergency.10 days ago I happened to call work for a completely different matter and can't tell you now how much I regret it. I was calling with regards to holiday pay, which is not really an issue tbh, it's just that I haven't been paid it and they said fine, yes that will be paid to me as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, a third manager C got involved, and "enquired" about my hours so that she could find out what team I would be going into. She then came back and immediately said, am I right in thinking etc etc that you are of the impression that your hours have been agreed and settled. I am afraid to tell you that your hours most certainly have not been sorted and that no agreement has been made at all.
I saw red straightaway. god this is long. I told her yes it was sorted, yes it has been agreed, and no I did not want it to go to a review board (which in my mind would come back and refuse it). I ended up ending the conversation, hardly the best note to start on.
I had been given the mobile no of A, the manager who orginally sorted all of this out for me, so sent as text, to ask really what the hell was going on, but in a polite way. She called me and assured me that, yes, it was in fact all sorted and certainly nothing to be concerned about. I asked A to call work and speak to her seniors as they seemed to know nothing at all about it. She did so. I then got a text saying that one of them would call me that day.
They didn't, so I called them. They told me that no it was not sorted but would now go to a review board, when the answer would come back simply as a yes or a no, the no would have to be appealed against.
As I was passing by the next day (genuinely) I called in to ask to speak to B to ask really what was going on. she came and spoke to me and just said there has been no date given yet for the review board. I went home. She called me again the same day, and said no date has still been given for a review board.
What the hell is going on????
To someone else reading this, I am hoping you can give another viewpoint cos all I can see is myself being messed around and tbh this is the last thing I need right now.
Instict is telling me to demand a meeting next week, and to stick to my orgininal agreement?? My previous contract was 11 hours a week and I have increased this to 12. Am I right in thinking that they have to offer the same terms and conditions as you had before mat leave and that they are not allowed to make you/force you increase your hours????
I have not named the company but it is a huge and very well known company, one of the largest in the country ( my point is that they would hardly get away with any "wrongdoing").
Any ideas/opinions/viewpoints would be made extremely welcome as I am at my wits end now.