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Any HR guru's out there?

Hi ladies, Hope you are all well. I haven't posted on here for such a long time, been more of a lurker lately! I'm just a bit annoyed about my boss as he's putting pressure on me to make a decision NOW (at 13 weeks pregnant!) to let him know whether I'm returning from my maternity leave, or whether I'm planning not to come back at all, because he has no problem to fill my post right now!! A bit of background behind his questions: I'm part-time ( I work 3 days a week -15 hours) and I support him heavily with running his business. He recently recruited another lady (on a part-time basis) to take the basic admin jobs from me so I can focus on handling the more technical aspects of my role. This lady (despite HOURS of training couldn't do the job and she decided to leave) so he is looking for someone else. He is now wondering whether he should recruit someone on a part-time basis to fill her position, or whether he should recruit a full-timer to take over from me when I go on maternity... And he doesn't know whether he wants a permenant member of staff or a temporary one. He is also moving premises out of the main office and into his home, into a converted garage... Which I mentioned that I was unsure about because of the lack of contact with other people... I am a very social creature and I would find it very isolating. I told him its highly unfair of him to pressurise me in this way as I LEGALLY don't have to tell him of my intentions until a month before I am due back and I will not put myself in a position where I talk myself out of a job!! So angry. Is there any knowledgable HR person out there who can advise me on the best way to handle this situation? Thanks, Chilli xx

Replies

  • Apologies for the massive paragraph.... I didn't type it that way!!
  • I'm certainly no expert in HR, but have a look at the government website to see if you can pick out the bits you need for your employer.  It is a bit of an effort going through the site, but there should be something you can use there.

    Good luck x

    http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG_10026556

  • My good friend pamela should be able to help you check out her website www.yourownhr.co.uk , although dont say im from baby expert as she doesnt know im preg x
  • Hey Redhotchillimomma



    I'm due in feb so G/C image



    I work in HR so hopefully I can offer to help for you. I would say your manager is being an idiot but understandably wants to plan ahead. If I was you I would say you are taking the year and that you are going back. Then if you change your mind you just have to give 8 weeks notice. Don't feel you need to tell him anymore than that at the moment. It's his problem if he doesn't replace you with the right type of contract.



    If I was to advise your boss I would tell him to appoint someone fixed term to cover you as a part time post and a separate permanent part time post to replace your colleague. The risk he has replacing you with a full timer is you go back and he is stuck with too many people.



    In terms of him moving offices, how far away is his garage (!) from your current place of work? He could force it through depending on the location but he must consult with you.



    Hopefully this helps image



    Good luck xxx
  • Thank you all so much for your replies ladies, I will have a look at those websites tomorrow.



    i have to say that I completely agree with Choc11 that my boss is being an idiot.



    Another thing that is worrying me about him questioning me the way he did is because i originally started with the company as a temp to cover maternity leave. The lady who was on maternity was a full timer and I came in and took over on a part-time basis but still managed to do the job in less time and I was more thorough.



    This led him to wanting to find a way to get rid of her and to keep me on board. He actually found a way of (legally) dismissing her before she returned from mat leave and although I have been an exemplary member of staff I am concerned that he will treat me the same way.



    Obviously this guy is a bit of a douche-bag, but its a job that I enjoy and until I fell pregnant we used to get along really well. He used to buy me a little treat from the bakery on a Friday afternoon etc, but now he's become a lot more business-like and cold towards me.



    I plan on keeping a diary of all my conversations with him, including dates and any witnesses just in case I need it.



    I really don't want to go to work tomorrow. image
  • Oh sweetpea, I feel for you. If I was in your situation I would just tell that idiot that I do intend on coming back, it's not against the law to change your mind image

    And also, from what you said it sounds as though he's feeling a bit sad that you're going to be going on mat leave (having used to buy you treats on Fridays and now not ...) maybe he's figured how useful you are to have around and is feeling a bit sore about the fact you'll be away. In a way that's kind of flattering (?) but definitely selfish and douche-bag-ish ...

    Hope you can get it sorted hun xx

  • Update:



    Well, I went into work today and received an ear-bashing because business has been slow for the last 6 weeks and he quite literally told me he is laying ALL of the blame at my door!!



    We took on a part-time girl about 6 weeks ago to take away the basic elements of my role and her main job was to make appointments for him to visit clients. This didn't get done and as I spent a whole month training her, constantly being interrupted by her I didn't get much done myself. He acknowledged this at the time and realises that I have effectively been taken out of the business for that whole month.



    While I was away on a weeks holiday (3 weeks ago) she left. Since then, I have had to resume trying to make appointments for the last 2 weeks and I have had real difficulty in that I've had to leave many messages, including emails etc. and I've been unable to make appointments.



    I told him the difficulty I was facing, and unfortunately no appointments means no business being produced and no profit (for him!!).... He's a financial advisor



    He blames me for this entirely, and says the last 6 weeks is my fault and he can't justify having two members of staff as there's not enough work to go around!!



    I have held an exemplary record with him and until I told him I was pregnant he held me in very high regard, always praising my work, my standards and my commitment and unfortunately since i told him i was pregnant he has been constantly picking at little things, and giving me a poor-ish appraisal.



    I think he is trying to find a way to dismiss me, like he did with the last lady who went on marernity leave. he found a way to dismiss her during mat leave and apparently until she fell pregnant, they worked together quite well.



    Really stressed about this and actually cried in the toilets at work. Need to gather evidence to protect myself i think..... image



    Thanks for all your kind words ladies..... Xxx
  • Wishing you mega-good-luck with this hun, I'm guessing it's his own business, as opposed to a large company?

    I had something similar a couple of years ago when I was on mat leave with DD, the company announced they were making redundancies and we all had to be re-interviewed for our own jobs. DD was 5 weeks old and I'd just been diagnosed with PND and I had the choice of whether to be interviewed or not, but was told it may jeopardise my job chances if I didn't, so I did. The interview was entirely based on giving examples of good cust service, and bearing in mind I hadn't been in work for over 10 weeks, I also had baby-brain and PND, (essentially a complete lack of memory) I ended up getting the worst score out of the entire workforce in our shop and was told that if someone else didn't take voluntary redundancy I would be out of a job. Thankfully a few people (who had worked there 10+ years and had a massive redundancy payout, I would have got nothing as I had only been there 18 months) took redundancy and I managed to keep my job but I was scared shitless, and it didn't help at all with the PND. Anywho, I know how scary a situation it is and I really feel for you, especially when your boss seems to be being such a giant knob about it.

    I would get legal advice, just in case you have to fight against him, and I think you're being amazingly brave about it all. Keep your chin up, the law's there to protect you and take care hun xxx

     

  • Hi lau89,



    Wowsers, I can't believe that they put all that on you while you we're on mat leave, I'm so glad it worked out in the end though...



    I'm trying to not think about it all now, I've written down as much as possible and I'm going to email it to my friend who works in a law firm, to pass onto a colleague for some freebie advice....



    Will keep my fingers crossed the problem doesn't escalate....



    Have just been to the pics with hubster to watch 'Sinister'.... Scared the life out of me and a few people even screamed while watching it! I was glad when it was over....

    :-/



    Enjoy your weekends ladies xxxxxxx
  • Oh Hun, I dont really have any advice but i wanted to give u and big hug and say fight fight fight mrs cos it sounds like he is being a complete idiot!!!! Hope ur ok x

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