Going back part time after maternity leave

[2ickleboys]

Hi...I'm hoping someone may be able to help me. I'm due to go back to work after maternity leave and want to request part time hours...I want to work 4 days in 3. Based on my old work load and job description I can not see that this would be a problem however afer having an initial chat with my employee yesterday, I was told that my role is now much bigger than before. Its grown basically because they are short staffed due to redundancies and restructuring so my mternity cover has taken on extra responsibilities and therfore she feels that the role could not be done in 4 days. Surely this isn't fair. Can they change my role, or rather add to it, without my knowledge? Why should I have to sacrifice my desire to go part time just because the department is short staffed due to the company's own making? Do you think I have a case or do I have to just lie down and accept it? Any advice would be warmly welcomed and I'd be really grateful.. Thanks x

Bumping for you.

Certainly sounds dodgy for them to change the role without consultation. However, they're not obliged to accept requests for flexible working, just to give proper consideration to those requests.

I hope a legal type comes along in a minute to respond to the first part: it sounds to me as though they're on shaky ground there.

Thanks. Also found out that my maternity cover is ok consideray more Money thAN me and on a grade above. Sounds well dodge to me

The fact that the maternity cover employee is on a different grade/salary has no bearing, temps etc can be better paid than existing staff.

As for adding to your role whilst you're off, I cant see they have done nothing wrong. Lots of job grow/change over time and surely its better to be getting extra duties than to be made redundant.

You have the right to legally request part time hours but not the automatic right to have them granted if your employer can show that they will affect the business. A job share may be an option you could look into but your employer may argue it will be difficult to recruit for just one day a week.