returning to work part time after maternity leave

Candlewax

Hi, I wondered if anyone has experience of this. I have a full time job and was planning to return full time in October after maternity leave. I am now thinking that we may be able to just about afford for me to go back part time only. So my questions are:

My job is a full time post so am i right in thinking they are likely to say no to part time?

Will I have to pay back any maternity pay?

If I earn 2200 net pay for 5 days, how much will i earn for 2.5 days? I know this sounds like a stupid question, but am not sure how much less tax i will pay?

Any other advice would be great. Thanks.

notanewuser

Candlewax wrote: »

Hi, I wondered if anyone has experience of this. I have a full time job and was planning to return full time in October after maternity leave. I am now thinking that we may be able to just about afford for me to go back part time only. So my questions are:

My job is a full time post so am i right in thinking they are likely to say no to part time?

Will I have to pay back any maternity pay?

If I earn 2200 net pay for 5 days, how much will i earn for 2.5 days? I know this sounds like a stupid question, but am not sure how much less tax i will pay?

Any other advice would be great. Thanks.

What is your full time gross salary and how many hours a week does that cover? Did you get any additional pay on top of SMP?

You have the right to request part time hours, but the company only has to consider it, they don't have to grant it.

heartbreak_star

Would they hire someone else in to cover the other half of your job, or would your colleagues be expected to carry the extra work?

You do have the right to request it - but I'd be requesting as early as possible for a good chance of getting it as they may be more inclined to grant it if they've given time to hire another part-timer in to job-share with you.

(I know I sound super-harsh - and for that I am sorry, but it grinds my gears when a woman leaves a full-time post for a lifestyle choice and expects to waltz back in part-time while those of us without children have to take on extra work for no reward!)

HBS x

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

heartbreak_star wrote: »

Would they hire someone else in to cover the other half of your job, or would your colleagues be expected to carry the extra work?

You do have the right to request it - but I'd be requesting as early as possible for a good chance of getting it as they may be more inclined to grant it if they've given time to hire another part-timer in to job-share with you.

(I know I sound super-harsh - and for that I am sorry, but it grinds my gears when a woman leaves a full-time post for a lifestyle choice and expects to waltz back in part-time while those of us without children have to take on extra work for no reward!)

HBS x

Ground mine when my child free by choice boss sacked me for needing time off to have a threatened premature labour, as it wasn't her problem I chose to reproduce. Means that I think anybody who has legal rights I didn't benefit from, is welcome to push it as far as she is able.

Either way, somebody won't be happy somewhere.

Person_one

heartbreak_star wrote: »

(I know I sound super-harsh - and for that I am sorry, but it grinds my gears when a woman leaves a full-time post for a lifestyle choice and expects to waltz back in part-time while those of us without children have to take on extra work for no reward!)

HBS x

You're blaming the wrong party there though.

Also, I'm CFBC myself but its daft to put down having children as just a 'lifestyle choice'. People like me and you would up the proverbial creek in our old age if there weren't enough women willing to do it despite the massively detrimental effects on their careers and their sleep patterns!

moneypuddle

My job is a full time post so am i right in thinking they are likely to say no to part time?
Possibly but still best to ask. You will need to probably present how you and the business would benefit from you going part time. Would a job share work?

Will I have to pay back any maternity pay?
Were you just paid SMP or an enhanced package?

If I earn 2200 net pay for 5 days, how much will i earn for 2.5 days? I know this sounds like a stupid question, but am not sure how much less tax i will pay?
So ia your gross salary around £35k. If it dropped to £17.5k this is about £1200 for 2.5 days (but obviously depends on if you pay student loans, are using childcare vouchers etc)

onlyroz

If you put in an official flexible working request then the company has to give a sound business reason for turning it down. As for whether you have to pay back any maternity pay, this would depend on whether you were paid anything above SMP, and also the company policy.

Candlewax

Thanks for your replies, I appreciate that some colleagues may not be happy about my wish to return part time but my life has totally changed since having my son. He is my priority and I am just trying to find the best way to put him first. I didn't expect to feel so upset about the thought of leaving him 5 days a week. Ultimately I still may have to. I am committed to my job and the people who rely on me there but also to my child. They are likely to do a job share anyway if they agree to it.

I got additional money not just SMP, i think it is OMP. So may have to pay this back which will need to be considered as I don't know how much that will be.

Thanks

Metranil_Vavin

Women don't have it easy and are expected to be able to do it all, which quite often is impossible.

I was due to go back to my job after mat leave, but after requesting more flexible hours and being flatly refused, I decided to bite the bullet and handed my notice in.

It was he best decision I could have made as I went on to find a part time role in the same industry working for a better company. I now work Monday to Wednesday and spend Thursday and Friday with my son which for me works out perfectly.

As others have said, you only have the right to request p/time. If there is anyone you could job share with, this may be a possibility. Otherwise it's a choice you have to make.

hawk30

Candlewax wrote: »

Thanks for your replies, I appreciate that some colleagues may not be happy about my wish to return part time but my life has totally changed since having my son. He is my priority and I am just trying to find the best way to put him first. I didn't expect to feel so upset about the thought of leaving him 5 days a week. Ultimately I still may have to. I am committed to my job and the people who rely on me there but also to my child. They are likely to do a job share anyway if they agree to it.

I got additional money not just SMP, i think it is OMP. So may have to pay this back which will need to be considered as I don't know how much that will be.

Thanks

OMP doesn't exist to the best of my knowledge. Does your contract or staff handbook provide that you will be paid additional money on top of SMP? If yes, then it should also sate th rules on repayment (if applicable). You cannot be asked to pay back SMP, but whether you need to pay back contractual pay depends on your employer's rules.

mumonashoestring

Some employers do use the term OMP. My previous employer offered SMP, AMP if you knew you wouldn't be returning, or OMP if you were happy to return to work for at least 3 months (full time and not including sick leave). If you ask, your payroll department should be able to provide you with a breakdown of what you've had as SMP, what was additional/occupational maternity pay, and what you would be expected to repay if you didn't return. Don't forget you'll have been accruing annual leave whilst you've been on maternity leave, so you could ask them to offset the annual leave they owe you against what you would owe them. You'd need to check as well if returning to work part time/job share would mean you had a contractual obligation to your employer for longer.

You may already have worked this out but what I nearly forgot when working this all out was that I didn't just have to pay childcare for the hours I worked, but for the time either side of that between picking up and dropping off as well, so if I worked 21 hours over three days I actually had to cover 27 or 28 hours childcare to allow for travelling time.