Issues with returning to work after mat leave - what is 'normal'?

[Silverhope77]

Hi,

I've posted before about the issues I've had with my workplace while on maternity leave. Long story short, I shared my pregnancy news with line managers in March last year. In May, I found out my role was at risk. On July 24, my role was made redundant, and I was offered a SAE (suitable alternative employment). The business was going through a restructuring, and still is in places, so despite asking repeatedly, I given very bare minimum details on my new role. I went on mat leave on October 24. Three months into my maternity leave, I was put through a performance review, which was savage and untrue. I contested it, ended up going through an independent HR process, which I won in August this year.
Despite line and functional managers being instructed to change my rating and reimburse pay deducted, they did nothing.
Only by logging on and checking myself, I also saw that my return date hadn't been changed despite the request going in initially in January ( and chased up many, many times). I ended up getting paid part of last month as a result, which I now have to pay back. Nearly happened this month too. Only an HR intervention rectified it in time.
I'm due back on 29 September. I've chased and chased for a return to work meeting, and there is always some excuse. I need to speak to OH, as well, as I have a disability and need reasonable adjustments in place. I've tried to organise it myself, but, like everything, it's down to my line manager. I don't know what my role is, when I am expected in the office, or what the new team structure looks like. I got sent an email yesterday asking if I'd like to go to a team away day next week?! They fully know I'm settling my son into nursery 9and trying to set up a meeting with them still). Anyway, I would need childcare to cover regardless.

HR have done some chasing on my behalf, but they ultimately said it's my line and functional manager who must confirm and action the changes required. I've been trying to speak to ACAS, Pregnant then Screwed and Maternity Action but not had luck getting through.
Has anyone else been through similar? What did you do? Keep chasing and documenting everything? Raise a grievance? Pushed for a settlement (tbh, this would be the best outcome for me).
I've tried looking for a new job, but have not had much luck given the current market. If I feel I've done all I can to hold my own against these XXXX, it'll make me feel somewhat better in the meantime. It's pretty much taken up all my maternity leave battling with them, and I hate them for it. But I have to pay the bills, and my savings are now used up.
At least I won my case, which allowed me to enjoy some of the little time I have left.
This is my second child. I've been at the company for 10 years. Great track record. I did get ill in 2022, and work supported me to seek a diagnosis and get better. Since my former line manager was let go while on sabbatical last year it's been a s**tshow.

What outcome do you want here?

Some of what has happened is really crap, but some of it is merely non-ideal, and some of it isn't problematic.

I think there is an element of you becoming so entrenched in your battle position that whatever they do is now automatically negative in your eyes. They did the right thing inviting you to the team away day - if they hadn't, you'd have complained about being left in the dark and left out and could have argued discrimination. Yet you seem to feel further aggrieved by the invite.

The return to work meeting can happen once you return, as can fleshing out details of the new structure and your role. That doesn't seem especially unusual to me for that to wait. As for your return date, surely you are expected in the office on the date you gave them in January? It was your choice how much maternity leave to take and when it ends, so you should know the date you return because it was set by you when you notified them.

The only thing that sounds like it might need to happen before you go back is the reasonable adjustments, depending on what they are - are these the same as you had before though? I'm not sure I understand why you need a fresh OH referral if the disability pre-dates your maternity leave?

Either clarity around my role and expectations, or a fair redundancy package. My previous role was made redundant in May/June 2024 and I've been asking for details on this new role is since then. All I've been given is it's equivalent to what I had. The performance review I had while on leave stated I was already in my new role before I left, but was not performing well in it.

The continued restructuring has been the ongoing excuse for lack of detail. Yet there have been team announcements going out on other people's new roles, including colleagues also on maternity leave. From what I've read the team's restructuring is over. They know what everyone's roles are now and positions have been filled.

We work in a hybrid system, I don't know what the expected office days are now. I've asked. I've been met with silence. So I emailed them again to say I'll follow the pattern I had before until they inform me otherwise.

I don't think being invited to a team away day 2 months after the invite officially went out to the rest of the team is doing the right thing. If I had the same amount of notice as everyone else I would have been able to arrange my child's nursery settling in around it.

Apparently there were no official workplace recommendations or adjustments logged in the HR system when I looked into it after the performance review. Only some emails from my previous line manager in 2022 agreeing to some additional wfh hours when needed. No one had a meeting with me to go through what my options for support were, or if they were needed. Some of the points raised in the performance review were clearly related to my disability, whether knowingly or not.

Either way, I've done all I can now. I'll log on, clear emails and continue to put in the requests I need to for access to various things I should have. I joined the workplace union. Maybe they can offer some insight on areas I may have missed to mediate this.

Ultimately, I don't want this to further impact my health, my career, or cause further friction. I am applying jobs but still have to pay bills in the meantime.

I think I would make a big effort to attend the away day even if it meant asking DH / DP to take a day off. It will be much more difficult for them to treat you badly if you go in looking professional and fully ready for the challenges of returning to work and use the day to network wisely. I am a lot older than you and some employers used to behave dreadfully, in my view if you put on your metaphorical heels and red lipstick, you can often succeed in facing them off and take charge of the narrative.