Maternity and missing opportunities

cedrickerry

I am on maternity leave, and have been told the whole dept is being made redundant. People have been given the info, time and training to tender for work, set up own business etc. none of which has been given to me. This seems very unfair as the best work wiill have gone and I am less equipped to bid for it - can I do anything? (there is now a chance that a job will remain for 2 yrs and I know they have to offer to me if im on ml, but feel discriminated against as the others will have secured the work)

marybelle01

But realistically, what do you expect them to do? It isn't their fault that you are on maternity leave, and they aren't going to stop redundancies just because you are on maternity leave. If you want to attend the training etc., that is being made available, are you prepared to go to it whilst on maternity leave?

eslick

marybelle01 wrote: »

But realistically, what do you expect them to do? It isn't their fault that you are on maternity leave, and they aren't going to stop redundancies just because you are on maternity leave. If you want to attend the training etc., that is being made available, are you prepared to go to it whilst on maternity leave?

great helpful post.

There is nothing stopping the employer contacting someone on maternity and telling them there is a training session happening, happened to my wife when she was on maternity but it wasnt connected to redundancy.

hopefully an expert will be able to help shortly, so many times we are asked to be nice to newbies but this should go both ways, advice to newbies should be if you cant be constructive dont offer advice.

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

From what i can see from your OP - others have been told by the company that they are being made redundant but not you. Have you ACTUALLY been told by the company (and not by colleagues) that you are being made redundant?

from the Direct gov website:

Redundancy or dismissal during maternity leave



It is automatically unfair and automatic sex discrimination for your employer to select you for redundancy or dismiss you for a reason connected with:

• maternity leave
• birth or pregnancy
• paternity leave
• parental leave
• time off for dependants

Your employer can make you redundant while you are on maternity leave if they can fairly justify their choice. For example, your employer might close the section of their business that you normally work in and make all employees in that section redundant. Then your employer can make you redundant as well.

However, if your employer makes staff cuts across the company, they cannot make you redundant because you are on or are about to take maternity leave.

If you are made redundant whilst on Statutory Maternity Leave then you have special rights. You have the right to be offered any suitable alternative job in the company. This is even if there are other employees that might be more suitable for the job. If you are offered a new job, you are still entitled to the four-week trial period, which should start when you return from Statutory Maternity Leave.

If you are made redundant or dismissed during your Statutory Maternity Leave your employer must give you a written statement explaining the reasons for their decision. You should receive your normal notice period or pay in lieu of notice and redundancy pay, if you are entitled to receive them

Bold is relevant to you - this is probably WHY you havent been offered the training.

Herre is the link - http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG_175088

Speak to HR and see what they say. Hope that helps - Good luck!

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

eslick wrote: »

great helpful post.

There is nothing stopping the employer contacting someone on maternity and telling them there is a training session happening, happened to my wife when she was on maternity but it wasnt connected to redundancy.

hopefully an expert will be able to help shortly, so many times we are asked to be nice to newbies but this should go both ways, advice to newbies should be if you cant be constructive dont offer advice.

Newbie or "oldie" - there's no need for them to be unhelpful - regardless how long they have been using MSE :rotfl:

(And for the record, I dont think Marybelle01's post was nasty in any way, It was just a bit unresearched)

cedrickerry

Thank you for your responses.
I was sent an official letter from group manager saying that it was proposed that all posts woudl be redundnat from March in October last year (just at same time as having twins!) . Then there was public uproar (I work for a local authority) and a you turn in January, where they made new proposal that 3 posts remain. I was originally planning on going back to work on 19 March, but cannot now whilst they make the final decisions. I know that if there are any posts my maternity leave means I should be offered one, hence the need to stay off even though I am struggling on SMP. If I go back at the redundnacies happen and I do not get a post through interview, I will be significantly disadvantaged in the workplace (outside of out employers) as they have had training in setting up business, and given time and resources at work to build up their business and clients.

Throughout my maternity leave I have asked to be kept informed. I have asked to have details of training/meeetings that are relevant and volunteered to use my KIT (keeping in touch days) to attend. But they have never given me any info, I have found out from colleagues that it has all happened over last few weeks. So yes I am willing to attend training whilst on maternity leave, and no I do not expect them to not make redundancies whilst I am off.

they keep changing the date that they are making decisions so I will now be in my unpaid maternity leave when the compulsory redundancies happen. this is proving difficult as every month the goal posts move and we need to know whether i have a job to go back to to so as to plan for childcare (hubby is going to be childcarer so needs to give his notice)

marybelle01

eslick wrote: »

great helpful post.

There is nothing stopping the employer contacting someone on maternity and telling them there is a training session happening, happened to my wife when she was on maternity but it wasnt connected to redundancy.

hopefully an expert will be able to help shortly, so many times we are asked to be nice to newbies but this should go both ways, advice to newbies should be if you cant be constructive dont offer advice.

And there are too many "experts" on here who think that their view is the only one in the world. There was nothing wrong or incorrect in what I said. It's just a fact of life - redundancies do not stop just because someone is on maternity leave, sick, or holiday. And commuication is a two way thing - if cedrickerry wants to go on training courses, then what on earth is to stop her asking about them since she clearly does know about them.

And thank you Mimi, but there was nothing unresearched about it. I know perfectly well what provisions are made for women on maternity leave when facing redundancy, as, clearly, did cedrickerry because she made reference to that. I was responding specifically to the point that she felt discriminated against because she hadn't been able to go on any of the courses - now that she has said she is happy to do so whilst on maternity leave then the obvious thing to do is to ask.

I really don't know what it is about these boards, but newbie or not, there are a lot of really nasty people around them who just have a go because it makes them feel bigger.

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

I doubt they would want you to use your KIT day's for training - if you go in for an hour they must pay yoou a full days wage - and if they are making redundancies i doubt they will want to spend the cash if that makes sense.

My work dont inform me about anything either - I'm half way through Mat leave - but I make "reasons" for me to drop in (taking a cake in for a colleague whose birthday it is goes down a treat lol) so that I am kept in the loop.

I would speak to HR re your job

Googlewhacker

Mimi correct mr if i am wrong but you don't get paid a whole days pay for 1 hours work, but if you only do 1 hour it classes as 1 of your 10 kit days...its there to stop people.spreading 10 days out over a long period of time by doing 20 half days etc

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

Ah sorry maybe thats just my company then, this is the info i found:

Keeping in touch

During your leave it is often helpful to keep in touch with your employer.
Your employer is entitled to make reasonable contact with you during Statutory Maternity Leave. This might be to update you on any significant changes in the workplace, including any opportunities for promotion or job vacancies.
You can work up to ten days' during your Statutory Maternity Leave without losing your Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance or ending your leave. These are called keeping in touch days - and may only be worked if both you and your employer agree. You cannot work during compulsory maternity leave which is the two weeks immediately after your child is born.
Although particularly useful for things such as training or team events, keeping in touch days may be used for any form of work. They should make it easier for you to return to work after your leave.
You will need to agree with your employer what work is to be done on keeping in touch days and how much pay you will receive.

Our employer is in europe, it was the accountants in the UK who informed me re:pay on KIT days so assumed this was for the UK - sorry OP! better check it!

This website my be useful too OP - http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1080903184&type=RESOURCES

boobies

cedrickerry wrote: »

If I go back at the redundnacies happen and I do not get a post through interview, I will be significantly disadvantaged in the workplace (outside of out employers) as they have had training in setting up business, and given time and resources at work to build up their business and clients.

That is a big "if". Have you considered that they have not included you because you have already been ring fenced as safe?