Going back to work after ML - Help please

[hedgehog1979]

OK if this doesn't make sense please ask for any additional details and I will try and fill in the gaps

I started my ML on 26th May and contacted my employer around 15th October re returning to work p/t in February.

I went in to discuss this with my Line manager and area manager 30/10 and they advised me that they normally had 4 weeks to agree this, but would like to extend it to 21/11 (which made it 5 weeks). They contacted me 21/11 and asked for an additional week (today 28/11)

I didn't know this but they had been trying to recruit another part time person to do my job and have been unsuccessful and so my request has been refused.

My personnel dept have been rubbish at keeping in touch while I have been off anyway and when I spoke to my manager she told me that there are no p/t positions available locally and my only option was to return full time. Although I haven't seen any jobs bulletins since I went on ML

Aside from the fact that I don't want to return f/t, we wouldn't be able to afford f/t childcare.

Lastly they have told me that I have a week to get back to them about what I want to do. Can I appeal this? Do I have any grounds to go back? really just .....HELP

Thanks

Sadly it you cannot insist but I think you can appeal. It has to be practicable for the employer to have you back part time and it cannot be deemed as being detrimental to their working day. Have a look here: www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/askncvo/index.asp?id=2570

I would contact the CIB for some free advice. Remember, you are entitled to have an independent witness of your choosing to accompany you on the visits to the office for meetings so that they can vouch later if you feel like you are being unfairly treated. They can take independent notes on the meetings for you.

Good luck, its a tough one. I had to fight hammer and nail and I had been with the company for 9 years!

Bumping for a new day and fresh look

They have been trying to recruit another part time person to cover the extra hours to enable you to come back to work PT? Is that it?

What type of job do you do Hedgehog? Is there a reason why it would need to be a job share rather than simply part time hours?

An employer has to consider your part time request but, if there are good business reasons, they can turn it down. Whether it is reasonable to turn it down because they can't find a job share will depend on the nature of the job. For example, if you are a receptionist, presumably they need someone on reception every day and so it would have to be a job share. If you are an accountant, a job share might be one option, but another might be considering whether your job could be done part time by just one person.

In terms of BlueBumedFly's advice, you do have the right to appeal against the decision if you do not agree. However, just to clarify, you do not have the right to be accompanied to the meeting by any independent witness of your choosing (unless the company policy says you do). By law, you have the right to be accompanied to formal meetings about the request (including any appeal) by a colleague or an official of a trade union (you don't have to be in the trade union. If, for example, you have a friend or relative who is a union official, you could take him/her along even though you aren't in that union) of your choosing.

HTH. Come back if you want to talk more about the sort of job you do.

Thanks for the comments. I have my parents visiting at the moment so this has all come at really the wrong time.

I am a mortgage advisor and to answer bubble yes they have been trying to recruit someone else to do 2 days a week as we can really only afford childcare for 2 days (DH will have DS the other day)

ribenaberry Since I went on ML they have only had the manager as a mortgage advisor, so to have me back at all would be an increase in the available mortgage advisors.

The branch I work in has a staffing allocation of 4 staff (3 f/t and 1 p/t), if I went back p/t they would need one additional member of staff to ensure that there were always enough staff.

I'm hoping this makes sense. I am still really annoyed. When I had the meeting about returning p/t they made it sound like a done deal.

Another question - DH has suggested that I return to work full time but request that they continue advertising for a p/t member of staff and when this happens I can then go p/t - is this a viable option?

Blimey, I'm surprised they're not falling over your request in current market conditions. Wouldn't there be a decrease in the work available for mortgage advisors these days?

I wonder if they think refusing your request might make you resign, saving on a redundancy payment...hmm. Is there less work at the moment or am I getting carried away by tales of woe in the papers?

Anyway, what RibenaBerry said.

I'm sorry you're having a battle on this.

Ah....so did they not recruit someone to cover your maternity leave?

Hey hedgehog

Is there anyone you know that might want to job share with you? Any other friends in the network who might know someone wanting to job share with you? IF they are willing to train someone then it might be an opportunity for soeone, I know that in my bank there are always people wanting to go a train to be mortgage advisors!!!! In fact what bank I might know soeone

I may as well come out and say it - I work for Northern Rock

llareggub they have got rid of all the mortgage advisors/sales staff at head office and when I had my return to work interview they said that they were very busy (3/4 interviews per day)
The person that covered ML is not a mortgage advisor so they have only had the Branch Manager as mortgage advisor since May

lovebeingamummy I don't really know anyone else in the industry unfortunately although if you know anyone I would love it.

Also does anyone know about if I returned full time but asked them to keep advertising for part time - Is this a feasible request?

I'm in a differnet bank, athough recently announced we will be i a similar position to you!!!!!

Best bet is to try asking any friends from the branch if they know of anyone friend of a friend is a fab thing.

You could ask to come back PT but work FT until a certain date????