This month we welcome a guest blog by Liz Pollock, a solicitor in our Employment Team.
Being on maternity leave is a special time for a mother and her baby and many happy days are spent watching this little person grow and develop. But it also involves sleepless nights, explosive nappies and teething troubles. So being on maternity leave isn’t always easy and it certainly isn’t a time for getting things done around the house!
Despite this, after spending up to a year off with your little bundle of joy and getting into a new routine together that can involve baby groups, coffee mornings and play dates, it can be a time of mixed emotions when it comes to returning to work. Not only are there childcare arrangements to sort out; nursery, child minder or family member, but also decisions on whether you want to return to work on the same hours as before or whether you want a more flexible working arrangement.
Whilst there is a right to request flexible working such as part-time work, home/remote working, job sharing etc., it is important to note that this entitlement does not give employees the right to work flexibly. It is a right is for reasonable consideration of flexible working by an employer.
A carefully thought out application, considering the practical applicability of your request on the workplace, made well in advance of when you would like the change in working pattern to take effect is essential. Employers have up to three months to respond with their decision, so take your time but make the application before you are due to return to work. From the employer’s perspective having a well thought through application made as early as possible is the best scenario.
Once those arrangements have been sorted out however, it’s time to go back to work and nothing can prepare you for that transition! You can feel permanently exhausted as you struggle to combine both work and family life successfully; both “jobs” in themselves being tiring in their own right. Even getting yourself and your child up and out of the house on time can be a challenge. The ongoing lack of sleep, the worry about how your little one is coping without you and having to get back in to work mode can all make you feel that you are not up to scratch and you worry that this will show in your work.
However, being back at work doesn’t have to be the end of the “good old days” but the start of an exciting new chapter for you and your family.
It can be a chance to rediscover the old you who can use your brain again and concentrate on more than just CBeebies and nursery rhymes! You can have the best of both worlds in that you get to keep your professional skills up to date and you have the pleasure of meeting up with other mums and being there for your child’s milestones. You can also enjoy a hot cup of tea!
Returning to work as a mum is a huge transition and it will take some getting used to; indeed it’s a new routine for all the family. Returning to work won’t be easy but just as you survived the sleepless nights, you’ll survive this.
Weaving your way through return to work issues can be tricky. If you aren’t sure or if you need help, then seek legal advice. With one of the largest local Employment Law teams, Raworths can advise on all aspects of Employment Law and Liz specialises in flexible working matters and issues that may come about from a return to work after maternity leave.
