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Original poster

Maternity end and return to work rights

113 replies

incentigo · 01/02/2023 13:45

So I’m going back to work in March and I’m working myself up too much I feel physically sick thinking about it. I’m going back to work doing compressed hours (4 days into 3) with 1 day working in the office the rest from home (everyone does 1 day in the office) My manager has said due to been off for so long I will need to be “trained” again which means coming into the office everyday as it is now a requirement but she can’t give me a time scale on how long it will take, it’s based on how quick I pick things up and get signed off. I’m not really happy about this due to how I’m feeling not only that I can’t afford child care and have no family to watch my baby if I was to go in the office (mine & partners family work) i don’t understand where she’s expecting me to find childcare everyday to be able to “train” again in the office.

I’m just asking if anyone has any advice on what I can do…I know it’s work and sometimes we don’t have a choice but this is too much to ask surely…😓

OP posts:
LIZS · 01/02/2023 13:47

Do you not have childcare booked on your wfh days?

roarfeckingroarr · 01/02/2023 13:49

Two separate issues here OP.

  1. The training - I'm not sure where you stand legally but it sounds shit and stressful
  1. Childcare. You really need childcare in place regardless of where you're working - office or home. You can't work while looking after a baby / toddler.
fruitbrewhaha · 01/02/2023 13:49

Who will be looking after your baby while
your working?

You can’t look after a baby and work from home. Unless you are only doing the odd hour here and there. Most employers will expect you to have childcare in place for wfh or from the office. You must already know that you can’t put in over 10 hour days whilst looking after a 1 year old?

piglet81 · 01/02/2023 13:49

What childcare are you using? Surely it doesn’t make much difference whether you’re wfh or in the office (except for the commute)

Original poster
incentigo · 01/02/2023 13:50

I don’t get any help with money or anything towards childcare. My baby is 10 months old, I can’t really afford child care at the minute

OP posts:
DerangedViper · 01/02/2023 13:50

You will need childcare for your WFH days, and will be expected to use that for your training days

ShadowPuppets · 01/02/2023 13:51

What everyone else is saying. You can’t WFH and look after a baby. So I would use the childcare I had lined up anyway, and negotiate early start and finish if commute makes that tricky.

piglet81 · 01/02/2023 13:52

Ok, things to look at:

  • tax free childcare (ie the government pays 20%)
  • universal credit if you’re on a low income
  • childminders may be cheaper than nursery
  • what’s your partner doing about the situation?
Pinetreesfall · 01/02/2023 13:53

Yup you need childcare. You can't successfully or safely dedicate your time to baby or work if trying to juggle both.
We have to show proof of childcare contracts before returning from maternity or taking on people with children for that very reason.
You pay childcare from your wages and either use UC to claim it back or tax free childcare.

Scottishknitter · 01/02/2023 13:53

If you can’t afford childcare then you can’t afford to work. I know it’s shit but you cannot work from home with a small baby. You’ll be a shit employee and a guilty mum - your mental health will suffer.

Elsatellsa · 01/02/2023 13:53

You need childcare in place for whenever you are working anyway. Its not unreasonable for them to have you in the office for training, I wouldn't advise saying you can't come in as you have no one to look after your child.

SD1978 · 01/02/2023 13:54

It's unreasonable to assume that WFH and looking after a ten month baby is reasonable to your employer. They have stayed that training needs to be done and in the office, I don't see where you really have any option other than childcare.can you lol at local childminders?

SixBucksAndMyRightNut · 01/02/2023 13:54

Ask your partner to take leave for the first week you're back in the office. Let them know you've arranged this and try to ensure your training lasts no longer than this.

Get childcare sorted. If you don't, training will be the last of your worries when you lose your job.

Luckygreenduck · 01/02/2023 13:55

You can't WFH and not have childcare. It's possible that work suspect you might be trying to do this and it's why they want you in the office to start.
It is really hard to afford but either find child are or you can't work. WFH with no childcare isn't really an option unless work have offered you this and are super flexible. I don't see how you could do compressed hours though, more likely a few hours a day flexibly when she naps and in the evening when she is in bed.

LIZS · 01/02/2023 13:55

incentigo · 01/02/2023 13:50

I don’t get any help with money or anything towards childcare. My baby is 10 months old, I can’t really afford child care at the minute

You won't be able to commit to working and give it undivided attention while looking after a baby. It might be a disciplinary situation. Have they already been flexible in condensing your hours? You need childcare, not many people have family support available and pay for it, are you eligible for funding?

Doing update training is not unusual. Systems change and cpd is often required.

JJJSchmidt · 01/02/2023 13:55

Echoung everyone else, it's not fair to your baby, you or your employer to work and look after a baby. Your dc will not get the stimulation they need.

DrMarciaFieldstone · 01/02/2023 13:56

Yeah, you can’t work without childcare. Look up if you’re entitled to anything

SaveMeFromMyBoobs · 01/02/2023 13:57

I'm with everyone else, you're being paid to do your job not look after your 10 month old. I couldn't do a normal days worth of work while looking after the baby, never mind compressed hours. You'll find yourself in a disciplinary very quickly due to low performance.

You need childcare, be it nursery, childminder, nanny, family or friends.

ZoBo2023 · 01/02/2023 14:00

What everyone else says. You can't do two jobs at the same time. Do you think they suspect you were planning on doing this, which is why they have asked you to come in for training.

Idontgiveagriffindamn · 01/02/2023 14:01

Does your employer know that you’ll be working from home whilst looking after your child?
In their opinion working in the office will be no different to working from home in relation to child care.

mynameiscalypso · 01/02/2023 14:01

The need to go into the office is irrelevant really. Your manager expects you to have childcare sorted for the days you're working.

Twizbe · 01/02/2023 14:03

The issue about training - that can be done in the office, but on the compressed hours you've agreed.

You need childcare for when you're working. A lot of companies will stipulate that in your contract.

gwenneh · 01/02/2023 14:05

It isn't an unreasonable ask when your manager expects you to have child care in place for the days you're working anyway - which is what you should be doing. Unless your work is extremely asynchronous, and it sounds like it is not, working with a baby at home isn't fair to either job or baby.

The manager has also given you plenty of advance notice so that you can make arrangements for the changes in the schedule with that child care, so they've done everything they need to on their end.

LadyLapsang · 01/02/2023 14:07

It’s certainly not too much to ask that employees have childcare in place when they are working. My advice would be book childcare and perhaps use some KIT days to start training before you return. If your manager gets a whiff of your proposal to WFH with no childcare, I would imagine the retraining would last a very, very long time.

tiggergoesbounce · 01/02/2023 14:07

I dont think it is unreasonable to ask you to do your days in the office for a training catch up after being off for a year.

I think its also not that unreasonable to ne unable to commit to a time period for that as it would depend on how quick you are up to speed. But i would ask for a clear checklist of what you are expected to be able to do before reverting back to WFH.

I get the impression you are expecting to WFH while having your child at home. This will not work and as a business owner i would not consider you able to give the role i am paying you for 100% whilst looking after a baby or toddler. Please ignore this statement is not the case.
You maybe neee to speak to the childcare provider of the other 2 days and see if they can fit them in for additional days and see if you can set up a payment plan.