I returned from maternity leave in January and agreed with my line manager to return 18.5 hrs a week. We agreed the hours verbally to fit in with nursery times, etc. This has worked brilliantly until now. I have been told after five weeks back that I have been picked to move departments and my new line manager has said I have to start at 8am some weeks [impossible for nursery opening hours] and work a full week finishing at 5pm. I explained that it was impossible for me because of childcare. I have been told that unfortunately it's up to the manager's discretion and I have to do this schedule as I don't have set hours. They said I can fill another flexible working form which I did, asking if I can start at 8:30am and only work till 5pm when needed. They said they would agree to that, but I would have to take a hour lunch and work till five as needed every Thursday and Friday which I cannot do due to childcare. I haven't slept for a week and don't eat. I have had to go to my doctors for stress. Help, I feel totally trapped. What can I do? Do I have any rights?…
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I am due to return to work at the end of April and wish to apply for a flexible working request to go part-time. My problems are (1) the office I previously worked from is being closed down and I have not been advised where I am expected to work from, despite asking on numerous occasions and recieving vague responses about locations which are not commutable especially with nursery drop-off times (2) there has recently been a collective consultation. However, my line manager has advised that my job role is remaining. I have asked if I can apply for a temporary change to my full-time contract with a view to making it permanent once the new structure has been announced. HR have advised that there is not a form for this and I have to apply for a permanent change. I am a bit wary of doing this as I believe if they were to suddenly decide to make me redundant and if my part-time working hours have been accepted this would be what any redundancy package would be based on. Also I don't know how I am meant to put together a business case for my flexible working application if I do not know the business unit, location, or new structure? Should I submit a covering letter stating my concerns over the application or is there anything else I can do to cover my back?…
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I am on Additional Maternity Leave from my part-time job. I have been contacted by my employer about a restructuring. My line manager is being changed, although I haven't been advised any further. Also, a colleague who was at the same level of me when I left indicated that I would be reporting to him on return. Is this a job with the same status as I think I am entitled to? Also, this person has put in writing that my post will change and in his opinion should be a full-time role, which I am not interested in. What are my rights?…
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I am on maternity leave, due to return to work in May 2010 after taking my full OML and AML. I recently found out from a colleague that my work has announced a major restructuring, has had a consultation period (now closed) and that the organisation's new structures have been decided and will be put in place shortly after I return to work. At no point has the organisation written to inform me of the restructuring, and I have not been offered any opportunity to participate in the consultation exercise. I wouldn't even have known about it had I not bumped into my colleague. I understand that the department I currently work in will cease to exist within the new structures. I have no idea what my lines of responsibility will be when the new structures are implemented, and from what I hear, the organisation is also now seeking voluntary (initially) redundancies. I feel aggrieved that my employer has not kept me informed about these developments and that I have not had the opportunity that other staff have had to contribute to the consultation. But did they have any obligation to keep me informed in this regard? I am also concerned that my job may have ceased to exist within the new structures and I am worried that any day now the postman will bring a letter telling me that there is no job for me to go back to! Is there anything I could do to protect myself? Has my employer failed in their obligations to me in any way which might help strengthen my position?…
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Before leaving work on maternity leave all staff were faced with redundancy and had to re-apply for new positions, which I did. Once on maternity leave I was contacted to say that I had been successful and had a position (very vague). All staff had until a certain date (roughly 28 days) to try the new set-up and decide if they were happy with the position or whether to take redundancy. Although this was nine months ago, when I return to work am I entitled to have the same 28-day decision period?…
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