I have a friend going through similar with flexible working requests. Firstly, if you can help it don’t resign yourself, from guidance it sounds like it’s more beneficial to wait until they dismiss you. If you look on the ACAS website there are some very specific reasons as to why they can deny flexible working request. If they deny your request make sure it’s on the grounds of one of those reasons. If it’s not then ask for an appeal- they don’t have to give you one but they look better if they do. If the appeal is denied you need to raise a formal grievance but in the meantime get some legal advice just incase. There are no win no fee solicitors that can tell you if you’d have a case if you were being pushed out due to discrimination. A solicitor can’t start legal proceedings until your formally dismissed. In the case of my friend she’s currently working on the severance package they’ve offered her- legal advice was to not accept the first offer but in her case she has a claim for discrimination. There’s also a lot of red tape about what people can and cannot say. If you can get everything in writing or any kind of proof it helps. My friend was told things like “your best option is to resign” etc which isn’t legal.
Only if it’s within four weeks of your due date.
So if no issues with your attendance, performance or conduct it’s very hard for them to dismiss you as you’re protected. If there was a reason related to the above ones I’ve outline and was documented then they could go full steam on that specific issue. Again though they would need evidence (as you’ve said), outline their clear reasoning and be prepared to defend their actions in tribunal if you took it further.
I would definitely try get it changed just to cover your back and protect yourself. Can’t be too careful. My GP just put back pain on mine to start with and I asked her to specify if was pregnancy related and she did
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Do… do you work in my workplace?People are assholes, I started maternity leave early because a person in my job who constantly has an issue with various staff at one stage or another decided to tell my manager I wasn’t speaking to them, when in fact it was the other way round. This is gaslighting by a 60 something year old who would speak to me when there were ppl around and then ignore me if there was no one there?? Standing around making it obvious they were talking about me, with other staff who they were essentially bullying a couple of weeks before. Manager and area manager were aware of the situation and nothing was done so I left and had no contact. I think management started to panic asking if I wanted to “sort the issue out”
Nope! Not at 9 months pregnant when the situation has been ongoing for weeks. It’s not up to me if staff are bullying other people and need to be pulled up on it and you are aware of it.
Will not be returning to that work environment but will take my maternity and absolutely be bringing it up with H.R when leaving.
The galling thing is this person actually makes themselves out to be the victim!
sounds like the same kind of environment. Tbh I’m tempted not to go back and look for something else but have to go back for a minimum period Of time or I have to pay back some of my “enhanced” maternity pay.
Do you want it to say pregnancy related so that you can prove discrimination if the sack you? Because it would still be the same for illness anyway.
It is really tough - when baby is here, you'd also get the child element too.
It’s hard to say as tbh they don’t really sound that organised with your comments. However an Employer usually would collate evidence to show they’ve not sacked you because you’re pregnant. Evidence could be OH reports, reasonable adjustments in place or they’ve tried to put you in another department. If they’ve exhausted all reasonable avenues they can go down that route.