I am getting myself into a real pickle and wonder if anyone can help. I'll try and give as much detail as possible without being too outing.
The company I work for used to be a small family run business, but got bought out by a huge group last year. The business integrated fully within the group just before I went on maternity leave. In the time since being bought out, the company has gone from 100+ members of staff, to less than 10 due to a combination of primarily redundancies, and others leaving due to changes and it being a dreadful company to work for.
The team I manage have all left while I have been on maternity leave, and my cover was never arranged so the department is currently not trading at all. In the system changeover, there are no systems or tools for me to be able to physically fulfil my day job, and as mentioned there's no cover, which means during the KIT days I've done (earlier than I'd have liked to due to worrying about what's going on in my absence), I have just been dealing with client complaints. There's never any progress in getting the tools in place, and I believe my role and department are effectively redundant. The company is also falling into industry wide disrepute due to no responses as there is no team in place.
Alongside this, I received a blanket email notifying me that the office I usually work from has now closed. The office was 10mins from my home, and I have always worked 2 days in the office and 3 days WFH. Apparently the new expectation is at least 4 days in the office, which is now 1hr40mins from me.
Where do I stand with this? I'd like to be made redundant as essentially I have no role to go back to, and also the new workplace isn't suitable for me at all. If I get made redundant, what will I be entitled to? I understand the redundancy pay of a week per year worked, my accrued holidays, and that the remainder of my SMP would be paid as a lump sum. Would I also be entitled to my 4 weeks notice on full pay, or not as I am on mat leave?
Does this sound like I have grounds to pursue further legally in terms of breaching the terms of my maternity leave? The way I see it, I don't have the same/similar role with same or better benefits to return to.
Sorry for being a little vague on some points, I am nervous to be too detailed in case this gets picked up on by my organisation. Thanks in advance!