Dissolving my role on maternity leave?

[rosiebutterfly]

Hi all,
I need some advice please!
I went back to work last year from maternity leave and fell pregnant again last September.
My due date is 19th may, so I’ll probably be leaving work again for maternity leave in approx 13/14 weeks.
i asked my boss who’s replacing me for my role as my friend might be interested she said that they may be looking into dissolving my role internally.
Does this mean I am entitled to redundancy pay and if this does happen whilst I’m on Maternity leave or even before then does that mean I’ll still get my enhanced package ( 3 months pay) or will I lose it?
it’s suddenly made me a little anxious but it was said quite casually so I don’t actually know if this is all talk or it’s actually happening.
i just don’t want to spend all my maternity leave wondering if I have a. Job to go back to or not, I also don’t want to accept an alternative to my role as I already pick up extra work from other teams with no additional pay and I don’t like the other work if that makes sense? So id prefer to find another job in my field that aligns with my experience.
i cant also help think that if I wasn’t going on maternity leave again my role wouldn’t be dissolving but again i cant act or do anything right now as nothing formally has happened it was just a casual comment in our 1-2-1 catch up,
never been in this position before so any advice or help please

How long are you off for? My understanding is that if it's more than 6 months they just need to offer you an equivalent role on return. Your best bet is to call acas for advice.

Sounds rather dodgy.

Speak to ACAS and I believe people always recommend this organisation for advice in this type of situation: https://pregnantthenscrewed.com

Oh no I usually take a year, but was hoping for a package rather than ‘suitable role’ as they have a past of giving me new roles that are ‘’equivilent’ but aren’t at all I’ve been at the company for six years so know how they work

There guidance on the ACAS website. They have a role on your return which has similar terms for pay, condition, seniority etc. It doesn't have to be the exact same thing.

just really frustrating as if this wasn’t happening on maternity leave I’d be receiving a package or a role offer

If your role disappears they don't need to make you redundant. They can offer you an alternative role. I agree this is often very unsatisfactory. If it hasn't actually happened yet not sure there is a lot you can do about it right now. It is frustrating that you are left wondering.

Can you go back to your manager and ask for some more information on what appears to have been a throwaway comment? Explain that with your maternity leave coming up you are feeling uneasy about the comment and would appreciate some clarification. At least then you may know what you are dealing with.

It sounds as if there are two things at play here - the question around whether your role actually being made redundant in which case there is a process to follow; and also your rights around coming back after maternity to a similar role if you are off for more than 6 months.

Other advice to contact ACAS is sound but it might be helpful to speak to your manager first. You can always follow up the conversation with an email to outline what's been discussed so that you have a paper trail if needed.

To answer one of your concerns, if you are made redundant, being on Mat Leave doesn’t change your entitlement to a redundancy package. If anything, they would be more likely to be generous on the basis that this is a horrible time to be made redundant.