Can your boss change your job role because you are going on maternity leave?

[luckyclucky]

Hiya, I work for my inlaws and with my husband, we are a small family run company. My husband has just come home and mentioned to me that after a chat with his dad, his dad mentioned that he was thinking about swapping my role from accounts back to admin in preparation for me going on maternity leave. The lady they have got in to do my role when I am on leave is a friend of my mother in laws and has no accounts training and is admin based. I said that I would rather they got someone in who knew accounts so it seems to me like they are changing my job role solely to fit my maternity cover. My boss said he is going to get a woman from our accountant in to cover the accounts side of things. Now my mother in law is meant to do the admin for the company but is useless and I really think they are using the maternity leave thing as an excuse so I can go back to covering for her.

I am really angry that they talked about this with my husband in the first place as I don't think it's appropriate for him to come home and tell me that. So my original question is, legally can you have your job role changed because you are going on maternity leave?

[Skyblueboston]

NO! The law states tat if you take six months off you can go back to your exact job role. If you u take a year off then YES the can change your job role, but all this must be discussed with you, not your husband! What a pix take!

[luckyclucky in reply to Skyblueboston]

I am intending on taking a year so that's a shame, to be honest I wouldn't mind as much if they had bothered speaking to me first about it, they are constantly getting the lines blurred between what is professional and personal.

Thanks for the answer, at least I know where I stand legally! X

[Skyblueboston]

Good luck! When are u due? Does your family know how u feel, maybe if u were to open up to them it might make them feel guilty lol x

[luckyclucky]

Thanks! I'm due the end of may. Yes I think they know that I won't be happy which is why they've gone to my husband first. Well I'll be letting them know in no uncertain terms how I feel about it in the morning!!!

[roselee]

you will have huge problems with them in the future if you go down that route. and it sounds to me like you do already,

legally no they carn't, i have experience of this im my previous marrage. their priority will always be the family business not you or the baby.

[luckyclucky]

My last comment probably came across wrong, I'd never lose my temper with them as for the most part we get along great but I'm not going to sit on it either so will just have a chat first thing to clear the air. I am just a bit hurt as my father in law started this business and it was just him for years then I took a massive pay cut to come work for him and get it off the ground and four years later its really doing well. I just feel hurt as I think it disrespectful to speak to my husband about my job and as this isn't the first time he's done it, I wonder when he'll learn!!!!!

[tigernoodles]

Do you have a maternity policy? My company promises me a job at a equivalent level to that which I left on but not my exact job.

I would have a chat with your boss and if you are still worried speak to CAB

[luckyclucky in reply to tigernoodles]

No we don't have a maternity policy, looks like our contract was downloaded from the web as I just spotted a bit about passing physicals and medical checks? Never had that done!!!

[luckyclucky]

Hi Guys, thanks for the advice. I spoke to my boss and he kept mentioning that what I'm going through is going to change all my perspectives and he doesn't think I'll want to come back to work, I told him not to make any assumptions and he denied assuming anything. I said I had full intentions of returning to my career but I would like to know what that career is as if he is quite happy to shift me from position to position without a reasonable explanation then what will I come back to? At the end of the day it's his business and I have no options really so will just have to wait and see what happens. Thanks for the advice and support as always x

[tigernoodles]

I keep getting told the same. my response is while I would love to be a stay at home mum full time, it is just not financially viable for us. so I will be back to work and I will be back on this date. Please stop presuming to tell me how I will feel and what I should do. I will do what I want to do!!!

[luckyclucky in reply to tigernoodles]

That's it, I said that I know how I feel and that I have to return to work for financial reasons and anyway I want to teach my little girl that mummies as well as daddies can have careers, not just bloody jobs but actual careers. But never mind, she is worth it and when I find another career for myself with some role security this time, it's my boss that will lose out not me!