Employer has forgotten about me during mat leave

[Frogl]

I work for a small company (approx. 25 people, fluctuating numbers) without a HR department. I went on maternity leave in winter and agreed with my manager that she'd send me an update email every month about new clients, projects, new hires to the team, any other changes. Well, one month into my leave and my manager left. She didn't work her notice, just disappeared essentially. I have been trying to get in contact with work to ask who my new manager is, KIT days, any other updates but I'm being completely ignored. I even sent a letter, which came back undelivered because it turns out we moved office but nobody told me. Letter to the new address was left unanswered.

I'm now wondering, is this right? Citizen's Advice says they'd need to inform me about job openings and "any changes at work that affect you" but aside from restructuring, there aren't any examples. I've not been told about this office move, changes to our benefits system, who my new manager is, and who knows what else. I can't help but feel like they're trying to discourage me from returning and like I have no choice but to look elsewhere. I'm interviewing for other positions right now but nowhere pays this well and the market is pretty bad.

Has anyone been in this situation before? This is my second mat leave and my previous employer didn't treat me like this at all. Before, during, and after leave I felt like a valued employee. Now with this employer I feel like a nobody, nothing, just discarded and forgotten about.

Do you still have access to your work email account? If you do, try logging in as you may find there have been updates sent by email on things like office mive etc.

If not then can you call the reception desk, or call your previous manager's boss and ask for a meeting?

I assume they are paying you maternity pay? Is there a clause in your contract aboit maternity leave and return to work?

If your managers job was advertised and you weren't made aware of the job advert for you to apply then that's already the rules broken.
Changes at work that affect you would DEFINITELY include the office moving.
Is there a colleague/work friend who could get someone to get in touch with you? If not I'd be emailing your old boss's boss and demanding some contact and that you'll be contacting ACAS if you don't hear from them within 7 days.

Phone them up. Emails are too easily ignored.
I'd be tempted to line up a good employment lawyer too, or at least ask around about one should you need them.

Presumably in a company this small it’s owner managed. Can you go direct to the owner? Either call the office or email direct. If you are valued at all, they’ll be horrified you haven’t been kept up to date with things like an office move and your manager leaving.

Alternatively, is there a work WhatsApp or any colleagues you can get in touch with.

You need to directly contact them, email and letters is too indirect/passive if there has been massive changes as you have no idea whose desk they have landed on, if anyone.

Phone in and talk to someone, if you don't get any reply then show up and say hello. It might be nothing to worry about and easily fixed, or at least you will know what is going on.

@Gardencentrevoucher I've not been getting any emails to my work email. Not a single one. I feel like they've taken me off the mailing lists maybe? We also don't have phones lol. It's a super modern tech startup, you see. No need for phones (apparently). We do use Slack to communicate and I've logged in there to piece together some information but it's more used for private messaging rather than official announcements. Have messaged people there but been left on read. And no, only statutory.

@freakinthespreadsheets I don't think it was officially advertised. I'm not sure if there even is anyone doing my manager's job now. And funnily enough, all the people I was friends with have left. The only people from 'before' are in leadership roles and I don't have their personal numbers.

Go there. Go to your office. Ask them. Find out what the fuck is going on.

Also keep looking for a job better than whatever you had with this tinpot organisation.

OP I've worked for a lot of super modern tech startups, this is anything but. In 2024 they're very hot on employment law, D& I as any bad publicity or a case will scare investors.

If you have no way to contact any of your colleagues then the only option left is for you to go to their office. But what they've done is illegal, also contact Pregnant then Screwed for advice

Also OP how do they not have a phone number? How do people outside the organisation contact them?
Also how did you know that all these people left, and that the company even still exists in its previous form?
'leadership role' with 25 people Is BS. I had more people than that as my indirect reports as a middle manager in a medium sized company.

If ir turns out the job has been given to someone without advertisement, and you would've been a candidate if it had, that's possibly discrimination on the basis of your maternity.
Do you know where the new office is? Can you just turn up there?

Are you in touch with any of your colleagues on social media?

Can you message the bosses through LinkedIn? I imagine they'd be on there.

This is so strange. Are you sure they haven't gone bust??

That said, when an employee is on maternity leave, strictly speaking they should not be contacting you, other than on KIT days, as you are officially off work.

Do you have a contact for your old manager? Them disappearing all of a sudden is strange too - I'd wonder if there was something else going on there and would reach out to them too.

We have about 25 people in my company and if someone was off on maternity leave, we'd have plenty of ways of contacting each other outside of emails, etc. If your company is a tech start up, surely other employees would be on social media? I'd connect with others and ask what's going on.

Firstly though, I'd use whatever channels are listed as contact details on the company's website, so either a general email or contact form. If the new address is listed, I'd go there and just walk in one day.

It is ridiculous that a business doesn't have a telephone line, but unfortunately it doesn't surprise me.

Agree with all the others. Check staff and company social media. Check with companies house to see who’s still listed as directors. With so many people leaving within a couple of months, could it be there was a takeover or merger?

Really you need to go to the office and speak to whoever is in charge.

Really you need to go to the office and speak to whoever is in charge.

This!

You are very wrong. Employers have to keep staff updated about changes in the business. Also OP asked for monthly updates. Also Kit days need to be arranged, whether that’s training or meeting days being offered, so contact has to happen for this. Unless the employee has said no contact until they come back then I would absolutely expect someone to have been in touch - even as a check in.

A change to work location is a pretty significant change to terms and conditions. If there’s no mobility clause in the contract then legally a consultation should have been held as the employer has to get staff to agree to changes. If OP hasn’t been involved in this process then it’s at a minimum breach of contract, and probably maternity discrimination.

So weird. I think you're going to have to go down there!!

Absolutely. Because there is something rotten here.