I am pregnant and have decided to start my maternity leave in May. When I first told my work I was pregnant I was told I could save up all my holiday entitlement for the year and use this at the beginning. So I would leave work, have all my accrued holiday first, then have 6 weeks 90% pay then go onto SMP. They put this in writing to me and are now saying that they this is wrong and that I can either carry my holiday over till next year and take it at the end or get a lump sum payment at the end of December for my holiday. Can they do this as I would like to take the holiday at the beginning as they originally stated?
Read Story
I am planning to return to work in September after taking my 52 weeks maternity and some owed holiday. I am wanting to request flexible working and have found forms etc to help me do this. However, my hours were not 'fixed' as I am a head chef in a hotel and my contract states that I work 39 hours or to the 'needs of the business' which seems to be a very loose term! I do my own rotas and those of my staff and this consists of a mix of early, mid and late and split shifts. If we are low on staff I can end up doing 70+ hours or 6 / 7 day weeks to cover. If myself or other staff mention we feel we are working too much we currently get told if we don't like it we can go. I don't think my request will be successful therefore. A few colleagues have told me they think my boss doesn't want me back. Also, I am not sure how to word the request as my hours were never set in the first place. Any suggestions on how to go about this woud be much appreciated.
Read Story
Before I went on maternity leave my employers advertised some promotion opportunities internally. It took them about 8 weeks to arrange interview dates and I went for the interview 2 weeks before my due date, but did manage to pass the interview. I was not appointed to the role until after I came back from maternity leave and then was given an equivalent role, rather than one of the roles I had applied for. I had thought that legally they should have appointed me to one of the roles I had applied for and then arranged maternity cover for that role. Is the law clear on this point?
Read Story
I am currently on maternity leave. Our holiday year runs April - April. I have accrued my 28 days, but since being off, there have been seven bank holidays. I'm not concerned with whether or not they can be carried over, just whether or not they have to give me these extra days, they are currently saying no. I usually work a five-day week and would have bank holidays off. My contract says 'the holiday entitlement is 28 days paid holiday per annum, excluding public holidays. We reserve the right to make any working day or days falling between 22nd December and 2nd January inclusive as compulsory holiday'. We always get ALL bank holidays off. What is my legal position?
Read Story
I have been a IT project manager for the past seven years, and in the seven years, I have gained a work qualification and have had two beautiful children. After the first child I went back full time and then after my second child I've now gone back part time (3 days from 5 days). Since being back the company has been taken over by an American company and so much has changed. I have been told that I am unable to apply for a director's role due to being part time. Therefore I feel I have no future in this company. All that I feel I can do in this company is gain knowledge on the vast programmes that are being run. I have thought about having a 1-2-1 with my manager (senior director) to discuss my career, but am not sure how this will come across.... what do I do, I am hungry for the responsibility and want to further my career, but a few friends keep telling me I can't have it all at least until my children start secondary school! What do I do in order to have job satisfaction and career development? I know the company has been really good to me by allowing me to reduce my hours, but feel I should not be punished for this! Please advise....
Read Story