Returning from Maternity Leave
Discussion
I have an employee whose ML ends at the beginning of December.
Now obviously I have to offer them their old role and hours to them if they want to return to work. They would be very welcome. We can even discuss working their hours around childcare.
But where do I stand legally if they want to come back part time? Happy to consider part time work, it may even suit us better in the current economic climate. But am I bound to give them only part time work if they 'demand' it? We are only a small business with a total of six employees.
I have sent them an email setting out their return to work due date (08/12/20) and advising that if they don't wish to return to work then we would need their notice in writing by 08/11/20 as per their contract. We have left the door open for discussion around part time working. Also, they moved house recently and haven't provided us with their new address, so we have asked for that too.
Now obviously I have to offer them their old role and hours to them if they want to return to work. They would be very welcome. We can even discuss working their hours around childcare.
But where do I stand legally if they want to come back part time? Happy to consider part time work, it may even suit us better in the current economic climate. But am I bound to give them only part time work if they 'demand' it? We are only a small business with a total of six employees.
I have sent them an email setting out their return to work due date (08/12/20) and advising that if they don't wish to return to work then we would need their notice in writing by 08/11/20 as per their contract. We have left the door open for discussion around part time working. Also, they moved house recently and haven't provided us with their new address, so we have asked for that too.
You are required to consider it. You are not required to agree to it (this would be supported by evidence ideally i.e. the business reason it is not possible such as a difficulty obtaining part time workers for the role)
ETA - and I would trust you don't have other staff on part time working......
ETA - and I would trust you don't have other staff on part time working......
Good to see a PH-er open to flexible working.
My wife's employer hard-balled her, all we wanted was a slightly later star/earlier finish to accommodate nursery drop offs and pickups, so a small adjustment to hours with a proportionate reduction in pay, but they would not listen - it was full time, fixed hours or nothing.
Interesting to see what response you get; I'd imagine at the moment lots of returning mums would ask for 'full time, indefinite WFH', which is obviously not practical in the long term for many businesses.
My wife's employer hard-balled her, all we wanted was a slightly later star/earlier finish to accommodate nursery drop offs and pickups, so a small adjustment to hours with a proportionate reduction in pay, but they would not listen - it was full time, fixed hours or nothing.
Interesting to see what response you get; I'd imagine at the moment lots of returning mums would ask for 'full time, indefinite WFH', which is obviously not practical in the long term for many businesses.
Well WFH isn't an option, she's a taxi driver. 
I suspect she will be under pressure to hand in her notice from her boyfriend. They are both Latvian and he is extremely overbearing. He even came to her job interview...
I'm open to all and any suggestions from her. If she doesn't come back, I'm happy because we don't have a lot of work right now, if she does come back and full time ( which is equally an option because she takes home £2k a month and her boyfriend is 'self employed' with no stable income) it would probably be my worst case scenario as I'd have to do less myself in order to make up her hours. Best option is leave or part time. But any and all scenarios are workable.
Thanks for the information regarding part time, I thought I'd read somewhere that I had to consider it but not necessarily agree to it.
I suspect she will be under pressure to hand in her notice from her boyfriend. They are both Latvian and he is extremely overbearing. He even came to her job interview...
I'm open to all and any suggestions from her. If she doesn't come back, I'm happy because we don't have a lot of work right now, if she does come back and full time ( which is equally an option because she takes home £2k a month and her boyfriend is 'self employed' with no stable income) it would probably be my worst case scenario as I'd have to do less myself in order to make up her hours. Best option is leave or part time. But any and all scenarios are workable.
Thanks for the information regarding part time, I thought I'd read somewhere that I had to consider it but not necessarily agree to it.
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