So long story short, my manager has rejected my flexible work request meaning I have to go back full time which has led to a decline in our work relationship as they haven’t been transparent about what has been going since I’ve been on leave and turns out another colleague of mine is leaving and there’s a recruitment freeze and my workload will double and there’s no cover if I were to go on annual leave, parental or sick leave. Plus there’s a return to the office initiative meaning I’m going to be in the office more than I was before I went on mat leave - so the job is less flexible than before. My manager is now avoiding having face2face meetings and being difficult arranging KIT days.
I’m getting really anxious and feeling like I’m getting depressed at the thought of returning as I don’t know how I’m going to make it work with little support for childcare and keeping nursery costs down. Plus if I am going to have a healthy work life balance and be able to spend time with my DS. Worries it’s going to have a big impact mentality and physically. Plus I don’t have much support at work. No one other than my manager and my colleague who is now leaving has bothered contacting me socially and not much of a gift when my DS was born (compared to other colleagues in the department). Just feel like no one really cares and when I return I’ll just be lonely and have nothing to look forward to.
However, according to my company’s maternity policy if I leave with in 6 months of returning after mat leave, I have to pay back the enhanced part of my mat pay.
My question is has anyone had an experience or known of anyone who has not returned after mat leave and the employers have asked them to repay or have any wavered them paying back as they know the person could no longer fulfil the role? Just interested to hear of other people’s experiences of returning or not returning to work.
I appreciate I might not have a leg to stand on and will either have to suck it up for 6 months or pay £10k.