job going downhill

[chocbiscuits]

Is there anything you can do about your job being degraded? I mean erstwhile being treated like someone who knows what they are doing, then slowly losing that and being treated like a skivvy.
Being able to choose your own projects then being told which projects to do. Carrying a project from beginning to end, then being told to do bits of a project.
Previously marking up your own holiday directly with the admin people then having to beg for it and having hours scrutinised in minute detail. Holiday being denied.
Is it the same job??

Thank god am off soon on maternity leave!!

WHy is this happening? New management?

Yep there was a bit of that, though the new management (2 of them) used to be at the same level as the rest of us and got promoted. Then there was a gap of about 1 year before this job going downhill stuff really all started. Not really sure about the others in the group - about 4 of us, but it seems particularly magnified on me and has been going on for about 1 year now (or just under).

Is there an HR person you can talk to?

Well I suppose there is, the head of HR got involved in my flexible working appeal (which got turned down) but she said she was just going to get involved with that.
I guess I could try and get in touch about a bit more than just the flexible.

I think you should tell HR about these things. Why was your leave denied - what reason?
I think you should get this stuff agreed properly before you go on ML or else they are likely to take the piss big time and you will come back to sometihng totally different.

Well I would like to put in a grievance but have had some weird pains and kinda worried about it with being pregnant. I guess I would have to go in for horrible grievance meetings with the boss in question?

Well its a loooonggg old story, but I was working at home three days a week and they stopped that because apparantly that wasn't in my contract. There was never any question about not working enough. I have measurable output that can't be questioned. So then I took holidays one day a week trying to avoid having to travel in three days a week due to looong commute and was not really getting any sleep.

One boss said to take some wednesdays off might be OK, but the other refused it every week 'due to the prevailing situation'. And 'because its in your contract to come in'. Union guy said it could be bullying and there's nothing in my contract saying I can't have holidays on a wednesday. So I mentioned union guys comments and they allowed me to have wednesdays off for a while then woke up on the wrong side of the bed and said I couldn't have them off again and when I said the union guy said I could bring a grievance boss said 'bring it then!'.

Did other things like threaten to sack me unless I could find emails requesting the holiday from the admin lady (which luckily I could find). Tabulated all the wednesdays up and said I hadn't come in on days when I had come in (because he hadn't noticed) and I had to try to prove it with swipe card access data. Refused to pay expenses back for me going on a business trip because I applied to go on it late. Just a massive pile of either downright nasty or just supercilious I'm your boss and you are a non-entity type of mail. I've got a massive pile of them printed out in a folder.

You say it's been bad for a year but has it got worse since you informed them that you're pg/taking maternity leave etc?

How long do you have left before you go on maternity?

Your union rep should be able to take you through the grievance thing. See what they say. It'll be hassle and they are hoping to bully you away from the idea.

You need things on a proper footing so that they don't change the job while you are away on mat leave.

How long were you doing the working from home thing for before they stopped you? I had to look into this once and even though it isn't written into a contract, if you do something for a certain length of time it becomes your usual working practice legally. (Would have to check the details here, but at the time was told this by an employment lawyer.)

It's good that you have a file of these things! (I do the same against a rainier than usual day!)

sounds like they are trying to get you to leave and you could have them for it - constructive dismissal? They are bullying you etc etc please find it in yourself to fight them legally.

Stay strong.

Hello,
am giving your suggestions some careful thought.
Got email from boss having been sent outcome of doctors visit, ie. doc note from my doc, a colleague, the midwife and an obstetrician from the hospital all saying I should be allowed to work at home as much as possible (its only this week and half of next week anyway).
Suggested going in once this week and once next week. Boss agreed to this week and then is trying to get me to go in on a day next week am not contracted to go in on anyway because he thinks I need 'debriefing' before I go off on leave and he's away on the day I wanted to go in on. I suggested we meet this week then there'd be time to do any changes to the report he's demanding. He said that doesn't matter and we must have the meeting after letting me have as much time as possible to do the work.
Then he accused me of not being flexible - after him turning down my flexible working and the appeal and thats why am having to go off sick in the first place!!!
Makes my blood boil!!!! So mad and cheesed off.

I think you need to get on to HR before you go and find out what will happen when you want to come back from mat leave. Try to get it sorted out now, as you don't want to find they have moved the goalposts while you are away.

Righto, more trouble today definitely have to speak to HR. Got threatened three times "This will be hanging over you all the time you're on maternity leave and will be waiting for you when you get back"

Nice....

Secretary was in the same room at the same time but am bit worried about dragging her into it.

Yes you must speak to someone. Are you doing it today?