return to work after mat leave - job changed, how much notice to inform me of my working days and hours?

[kitsmummy]

The situation is that since i've been on mat leave the company has started a re-org. My job has gone but they assure me they will find something for me, I'll have to apply for other jobs etc (think they're scared of getting rid of someone on mat leave).

My question is if I want to return to work (part time, hopefully 3 days instead of the 4 days I was working before) in July, I have to let them know in June and it's quite likely that the re-org won't be finalised by then and I won't have been allocated a job at that point. I will of course have to sort out childcare for my return to work in July (I already had something in place for my old days and hours but with this new job the days and hours may well change).

Presumably they will have to let me know in advance what days/hours I will be doing but my question is how much notice do they need to give me? Eg are they obligated to tell me in June what hours I'll be doing in July, or do they need to give me more or less notice?

Firstly you don't have to apply for jobs, they just have to tell you which job you will be doing, on the same or equivalent terms and conditions as before, which would usually mean the same hours.

If you want to reduce or change your hours that's different, you need to put in an application to do so and they will consider it. Obviously it's easier to do this once you have a job allocated to you but if you haven't got one by the time you make your application then you'd just have to do it without.

If returning in July is earlier than the end of your maternity leave, or earlier than a previously agreed date you need to give them 8 weeks' notice.

Just to add to what Flowery has said - is it that there is no job that is exactly the same as your old one, but a few that are the same t&c's and suitable?

As you are on maternity leave and your old job has gone/is going, they have to give you any suitable alternative going (in preference to any other employee - except other women also on maternity leave). However, I have seen some large employers ask the maternity employee to put in 'applications' for the jobs she's interested in. This lets them weed out the potentially suitable jobs you don't like the look of and they can just move you to the top of the pile for the ones you are interested in (always best to put an employee somewhere she wants to be, if there are a couple of alternatives). Flowery is right that the language of 'applying' isn't technically right in that situation, but I have heard it done that way.

Totally agree with Flowery about all the hours stuff .