Can I be the only one excluded from a pay rise if I am on maternity leave?
Whilst on maternity leave, an employee’s terms and conditions continue as normal. The...read more
It’s that in-between time of the year when time seems to stand still as you prepare for whatever is coming next.
It’s that betwixtmas period where, even though you’ve only had a couple of days off, you have no idea whether it’s the weekend or not, you’re too tired to reflect on anything much and you’re already thinking about how to make it to next Christmas.
It’s a period that seems to go by in slo-mo. Teenagers sleep most of the day; no-one wants to watch the same thing on tv, despite people telling them that everyone will DEFINITELY like Paddington; no one wants to play the same games; emotions are all over the place; the possibility of sickness hangs in the air; half the Christmas presents still haven’t arrived because, unbeknown to you, they are having to wing their way from a hangar in South Korea…
Father Christmas is feeling a little tired after even the youngest member of the family held out until 1am on Christmas Eve due to over-excitement, while Father Christmas found it impossible to outlast the teenagers and fell asleep on the job, only waking at 6.45am, about five minutes before the youngest member of the house who is cottoning on to the fact that Father Christmas might not be quite who he says he is. “What have my sisters got those chopsticks I saw you buy at Ikea in their stockings, mum?” asked only son. “And why does Santa go to Poundland?” This has required rather elaborate explanations about Santa’s elves having to top up their supplies.
No-one has done much exercise because of the weather and everyone really needs to get past the sofa. There is no food left in the house and we’re having to be creative with stale cereal and the sauces at the back of the cupboard. The cats have eaten all the cat treats and are turning their noses up at Whiskas. No one can muster the energy to enter 2020. I certainly don’t feel ready and reading all the reviews of 2019 just makes me feel exhausted. But the new year is coming and very, very soon.
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