HR advice please! - reduction in hours request

[minkymoo]

Hi ladies and gents

I am currently employed full time (for a Government Dept) and am 10 months into my maternity leave. I am due back on December 26th.

In June I put a request in to reduce to 3 full days per week. I am STILL waiting for a definitive answer. I didn't get the 28 day meeting, just an email from my LM stating it 'looked unlikely' and that there was a 'potential' reshuffle at my grade, plus my grade is surplus. I suggested that organising my new pattern would be logical BEFORE the reshuffle in order that they knew what they had to work with and surely a reduction in hours could only help to reduce costs. No answer to this.

My LM then changed and I had a 1:1 with the new one in August (2 months after the initial request) and went over options. In SEPTEMBER I emailed to ask for an update and was again told of this potential reshuffle/surplus. I have waited yet another month and contacted them this week and basically got the same response re this bloody reshuffle and no date of when this is due to happen.

Where do I stand here? I have childcare to confirm and have been patient for long enough (I consider).

Thanks

 

[discoclare]

I have no idea I'm afraid. Do you have maternity guidelines in your HR? Can you contact the person who is the HR rep for your department )or even a maternity leave co-ordinator person in HR) and check with them when they should let you know by. When I returned to work I had to notify HR of my return date (if earlier than a year) at least 8 weeks before I wanted to return. I would therefore have thought that they should provide a decision about PT working within the same kind of time frame ie if you have to give them say 8 weeks notice of a change to your intentions then they should grant you the same courtesy and let you know at least 8 weeks before your return. But I have no idea really!

 

[minkymoo]

I agree. I have checked policy and they say a meeting should've been held within 28 days and a decision given or fixed dates for review, neither of which I have received in 5 months.

They also say they can't help me further as it is between me and my line manager!!!!