Returning to work after maternity leave

[CJ98]

I’m due to return to work in 2 weeks time after having 10 months of work and I feel like work are just not accommodating me.
Since the moment I fell pregnant it caused issues with work and I was made to feel like I shouldn’t have children because work comes first. I was working sometimes 14 hours shifts, working until 10:30pm, working all weekend, worked until I was 37 weeks & never once complained. Within three weeks of me going onto maternity leave they’d given someone else my job permanently although they should have been temporarily covering me - they since have been given a better job so I have my job back. My maternity leave was due to end the first week in April but due to holidays needing to be taken before the next financial year (my financial year runs April to April) I was told to end my maternity leave early and take my holidays so I didn’t lose them. I received my payslip to find they had paid me incorrectly and they hadn’t informed payroll of me ending my maternity leave early and taking holidays which has meant I’ve had to take an extra month off work to resolve this. Work have recently got in contact with me to ask what shifts I’m available to do once I return & when I’ve sent them they are saying they aren’t available to work around me. My contact is 40 hours over 5 days and all I’ve asked is that I don’t work every late however ive said I permanently can work one late a week with Saturdays being alternated so that I work every other Saturday late - meaning every other week id work 2 lates. My partner works 9-6 but is out of the house 8-7 due to the fact he works an hour away from our house. I’ve asked for Monday mornings to be a permanent morning as my MIL has our daughter but can only have her until 5pm & with my partner being out of the house until 7pm I am having to be at home.
I have asked that every week I have the same shifts so that I have a permanent plan in place with regards to childcare cover (which was exactly what the person covering me used to do) & they’ve said that due to my role I need to be fully flexible (although I can still do my 40 hours over 5 days like they need me to do)
ive asked for the same two days off work each week so that I can be home with our daughter (alternated with my partner - he’s having Tuesday and Saturday & I’m having Friday & Sunday off again they’ve told me this isn’t something they can work with (although the person covering me used to have Sunday and Tuesday off every week)
Just before people talk about stepping down or finding a different role I’ve worked so hard for this role over the last 4 years from being temporary on 16 hours to recently being made a 40 hours a week permanent manager, my partner and I are trying to buy a house so stepping down isn’t something either want to do.
in summary my shifts that I’ve asked for are
Monday - Wednesday 7am starts
Thursday - a late finish
Saturday - 7am start but have agreed to do Saturday lates every other week
With Sunday and Friday being my days off

Am I just asking for too much considering I’ve been on maternity leave for so long ?
Am I better off just finding another job.

If I've read this correctly there are 6x late shifts a week to cover - Supervisor #1 does the Monday and Tuesday; Supervisor #2 does the Wednesday and Friday and you would do every Thursday and alternate Saturdays?

Could you offer to do every late on a Saturday instead which would mean that each of you works the same number of lates (I'm guessing they are the less popular shifts?). In return you are only scheduled for the Monday late if needed to cover holidays? If your partner is off on a Tuesday you could presumably be fully flexible that day too.

I agree with the PPs though that you've left this late to sort out and by asking for fixed shifts you effectively tie your supervisors to fixed shifts as well and I understand why work have an issue with this.

Then I would cover it. I’ve said that as a manager I’m expected to cover holidays what I don’t want is me having to work all the evenings or all the mornings. If that’s the case what’s going to happen when I have holidays that I’m entitled to. If I have to cover everyone else then they can cover me. It’s one of the things I’ve said I will do when I return is work around other people

In that case, you'll probably have more success with your workplace if you ask to do 3 early shifts and 2 late shifts per week. Rather than specifying exactly which days you want the early and lates on.

Have they asked that person though, they may prefer to work Sundays. Some people do.

The alternate Saturdays was something my manager has asked for as like he said everyone has a life & every once in a while we’re all entitled to a Saturday night off which I completely agree with. Before I left for maternity leave I was the only person who worked Saturday lates every week and it was exhausting so I’ve agreed I’ll alternate the lates on a Saturday & this is something that I’ve been talking about my manager with since January to try and get something in place so that it’s fair on everyone.
im scheduled to do a lot of the shifts for holidays. If one of the other supervisors are off I’d either have to work Sunday, & two additional lates or I’d end up working all lates to cover for the other supervisor.

This all sounds exhausting OP. I would just look for an office admin job perhaps. It sounds like you work in hospitality which is often less pay but more responsibility anyway. At lease with an admin job you would have set hours/ dates and potential to WFH occasionally.

I work in retail and have worked for the same company for the last 5 years. The whole job has been exhausting, I used to be that person that covered everyone else, missed out on holidays, wasn’t allowed any time off, worked all weekend, worked long shifts, worked lates and it’s really gotten to me over the last couple of years. I’ve been thinking about finding another job simply because I feel like I’ve fallen out of love with the job (and company) even before I fell pregnant. I just feel like me going off and having a baby has just complicated everything

If you end up doing additional hours in order to cover each others holidays how does that work? Do you get overtime plus an enhanced rate to cover the associated annual leave entitlement that would go with the extra hours?

If you have to work extra shifts to cover holidays and someone has to do the same for you then you don't really get any holidays, you just swap working days with someone. I'm not sure the current process meets the requirements for paid annual leave unless the overtime pay is appropriately enhanced