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Original poster

Please please can someone give me some return to work advise??

38 replies

Helpmeout16 · 17/12/2025 17:27

Ok I’ll try and keep this brief but hoping someone might be able to give me some advice/experience before I go pushing back so to speak.

I returned to work full time flexy working over 12 months ago, they now want me back in the office part time.

I advised them I can accommodate 1 day in a May time based on chosen nursery availability and this has been the status for some time, eventually building up to 3 days which we originally agreed and discussed.

They have now said they want 3 days from Jan, yes Jan and ultimately if I can’t find other childcare asap then my contract will be reduced.

Can they do this?
I’ve stressed I’m not just going to dump my child anywhere (surely they wouldn’t!) to please their working requirement for it to be changed again in May but the stance remains.

i just don’t know if I’m in a position to kick of or anything?

Any feedback would be appreciated, I’m unsure where to turn. I can’t really afford to resign either.

thank you so much.

OP posts:
CanTheWorldSlowDownPlease · 17/12/2025 17:29

What does your contract say? If it's not mentioned, you may not have a leg to stand on. Also, what do you do with DC now as it appears that you are only considering nursery on days you're in the office?

rubyslippers · 17/12/2025 17:32

Do you not have childcare anyway for the days you’re already working? What do you do currently?

Original poster
Helpmeout16 · 17/12/2025 17:35

Hi, thank you,

I stay at home with baby full time and work around her/pick up my work around the clock which again has been my agreed set up since I returned to work, she doesn’t currently attend nursery which has just been my personal preference for her upbringing.

my contract doesn’t say anything regarding reducing hours.

OP posts:
333FionaG · 17/12/2025 17:39

How do you manage to fulfil your work requirements when you are also looking after your baby full time? I'm wondering if this might be the reason they want you back in the office for 3 days a week. Maybe they feel that you aren't doing as much work as you should be doing.

HewasH2O · 17/12/2025 17:39

May I ask what you do?

What are your contracted hours?
Has your job changed from when you went on maternity leave?

How do you manage meetings etc?
Is your employer aware that you don't have childcare and you're working around the baby?

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 17/12/2025 17:40

Well, I'm not surprised that they want you in the office if you're doing childcare while at home.

Does your contract make it clear that you can work flexibly around your child with having any childcare in place?

The current set up clearly isn't working for them, so something is going to have to give.

Original poster
Helpmeout16 · 17/12/2025 17:40

Hi

full time contract, my job doesn’t require meetings apart from quarterly ones which ironically they didn’t invite me too and yes they know I have no childcare presently.

my job has always remained the same

OP posts:
Original poster
Helpmeout16 · 17/12/2025 17:42

They can access the inbox I work from and there is never anything outstanding at the end of every day so my work is always complete

OP posts:
HundredMilesAnHour · 17/12/2025 17:42

What does your contract say about work location though? Does it say office-based 3 days per week?

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 17/12/2025 17:43

Are you actually working your contracted hours at the moment? If so, I assume that most of your work is being done in the evenings when your baby is asleep. Maybe that is causing some issues for them if they need you to be available during the working day?

Original poster
Helpmeout16 · 17/12/2025 17:48

No I’m not doing all of my hours but as close as I can but in the same breath all the work is up to date so some days I have nothing to do, I guess that both goes against me and works for me at the same time.

we moved offices too and we didn’t get a new contract so my work place states the old address and not just generically ‘office’

OP posts:
paddingtoncoffee · 17/12/2025 17:49

I would think what you want from them longer term- it sounds like they might be concerned about your childcare arrangements. I doubt they would state that, but by saying you need to be in the office they are making you make formal arrangements that work.

I'd be looking for childcare options

Original poster
Helpmeout16 · 17/12/2025 17:51

Hi

I’ve always said I’d return to the office as per my original post comments, it’s just this sudden change/shift in goal post and saying they’ll cut my hours that’s got me in a spin

OP posts:
TantrumsAndBalloons · 17/12/2025 17:52

I dont think you can confidently say you are not working all your contracted hours (but you are I assume getting paid for these hours?) and then wonder why you are being asked to work from the office 3 days per week
Surely your current set up is not sustainable- you cannot work your hours as you are looking after your child- you cant expect your employer to be OK with this?

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 17/12/2025 17:52

Helpmeout16 · 17/12/2025 17:48

No I’m not doing all of my hours but as close as I can but in the same breath all the work is up to date so some days I have nothing to do, I guess that both goes against me and works for me at the same time.

we moved offices too and we didn’t get a new contract so my work place states the old address and not just generically ‘office’

So you are working part time but getting paid for full time? Realistically, you can't expect them to let that continue.

The fact that your work is up to date is irrelevant, really. If you were actually working your hours, then you would have the capacity to take on more tasks. If there simply isn't enough work for you to do, then it would be unrealistic to expect them to retain a full time role in any case.

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 17/12/2025 17:53

Helpmeout16 · 17/12/2025 17:51

Hi

I’ve always said I’d return to the office as per my original post comments, it’s just this sudden change/shift in goal post and saying they’ll cut my hours that’s got me in a spin

But surely it's obvious that they will cut your hours if you aren't actually working them? You don't seriously expect them to pay for hours that you are not working?!

TartanMammy · 17/12/2025 18:00

You are working full-time with a baby at home with you? You are not working the hours you are paid to work.

Yeah no wonder they are making you go back to the office. You can't work and care for a baby full-time it's just not possible to do both properly and safely.

Do what every other working parent does and get some childcare.

RememberDecember · 17/12/2025 18:01

I don’t think it is unreasonable for your employer to expect you to have childcare in place to fulfil the terms of your contract ie being in the office. I certainly wouldn’t be making any comments about ‘accommodating’ one day a week in the office when you have nursery cover - if I were the employer I would expect some sort of childcare to already be in place for the days you are working.

Duvetdayforme · 17/12/2025 18:02

Do you have a union rep?

PigeonsandSquirrels · 17/12/2025 18:05

If you don’t have enough work to fill your hours the they will cut your role to part time. If you were in the office with nothing to do you would be asking for more work.

Start looking for a nursery and a new job OP. This was never going to last and sadly they’ve spotted that you’re superfluous to business needs. Now they’re keeping a paper trail of expectations that you refuse to meet so they can get rid of you without being accused of discriminating against you for maternity/ motherhood.

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 17/12/2025 18:06

Duvetdayforme · 17/12/2025 18:02

Do you have a union rep?

Any union rep worth their salt will tell the OP that she can't expect her employer to continue paying her a full time salary when she is only able to work part time!

HewasH2O · 17/12/2025 18:07

Does your contract include stated hours of work and the number of hours you're expected to be at work though? I'd be surprised if there weren't.

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 17/12/2025 18:09

HewasH2O · 17/12/2025 18:07

Does your contract include stated hours of work and the number of hours you're expected to be at work though? I'd be surprised if there weren't.

The OP has already said that she isn't working all of her contracted hours.

AnnaQuayInTheUk · 17/12/2025 18:17

Duvetdayforme · 17/12/2025 18:02

Do you have a union rep?

What's a union rep going to do? She's not working her contracted hours and is looking after a baby when she should be working. There's nothing to defend

HewasH2O · 17/12/2025 18:20

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 17/12/2025 18:09

The OP has already said that she isn't working all of her contracted hours.

Show quote history

But it's also the fact that she's fitting her job in around the baby. Double whammy if she's expected to be available from (say) 9 til 5 and actually does most of her work in the evenings.