Maternity Leave and Secondment Cover

Lymccd

I have currently just returned to full time hours from maternity leave, I have been back part time from March 2023. My secondment was still in role while I was doing half hours however I have returned this week and I have found out through an email to my department (no direct conversation with me) that her secondment is being extended to September. 

She is also keeping all of my staff members for development talks etc. and is still keeping parts of my role. I want to see where I stand as I feel the lack of communication about the secondment extension is very poor and technically I am not returning to my complete job as she is staying and still doing my job until September (then no doubt it will be extended again). 

I previously had a really great relationship with my manager etc to the point she was asking me to come back early. I work super hard and I feel this is really unfair treatment. 

Please if anyone can give advice or what I can do next to take this to a higher level? 

Bobbobbobingalong

How long were you on maternity leave for?

Lymccd

Bobbobbobingalong said:

How long were you on maternity leave for?

39 weeks exactly! 

Andy_L

What has your manager said when you raised it with them?

Lymccd

I wasn’t given any explanation just that she was laying blame on the manager above her saying there were “bigger picture” things going on. I explained exactly how upset it has made me feel and like I’m not being welcomed/integrated back into the department. It was basically shrugged off! I’ve also worked for the company 9 years and 3 years in this role. 

Marcon

Lymccd said:

Bobbobbobingalong said:

How long were you on maternity leave for?

39 weeks exactly! 

So 'more than 26 weeks' (an important divide) and you've returned to the same job, on the same pay and conditions(?) but with duties which aren't identical to the ones you had before - possibly feeling as vulnerable as many mums do when returning to work.

The communication sounds as if it hasn't been handled too well, to say the least - but if you can change your thought process slightly, and see it as a chance to settle back to a less demanding job while adjusting to the very real demands of being a full time working parent, might that help at all? I know it'll be tempting to dismiss the idea out of hand, but give it some thought - you've now got 3 months of having some extra help while you remind everyone of just how valuable you are to the business. That will carry far more weight than any amount of explanations of how upset you feel.

'Taking it to a higher level' isn't likely to do you any favours until you've demonstrated you've made a successful return to work full time - and even then, it's hard to see what it would achieve that you couldn't accomplish more successfully by doing an outstandingly good job.

Bobbobbobingalong

Lymccd said:

Bobbobbobingalong said:

How long were you on maternity leave for?

39 weeks exactly! 

As harsh as it may sound then, you're not in the best place to go on the front foot and challenge the position you now find yourself in. Had your maternity leave been 26 weeks or short of that, you'd be in a very different place. You aren't though and whilst you have rights, well, you can see for yourself .... /www.acas.org.uk/your-maternity-leave-pay-and-other-rights/returning-to-work-after-having-a-baby