Who do I need to see to sort my situation??

Mummylumps

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I will keep it as to the point and brief as I can...

I am pregnant, a single mum to a 4yo who has just started school. I am finding it difficult keeping up my hours. I do 9-5, 3 days a week. I am already using breakfast club to get to work 30 mins early and using annual leave to shorten the end of my day. However this is obviously a short term measure, very short term in fact as I only have 2 more weeks left of this arrangement.

I don't mind the breakfast club part as she is happy enough going, however I am not comfortable with all her class coming out to their mums at normal pick up time and me feeling after these 2 weeks I have to put her in after school club too. She has only been going since mid September and already I have had an invoice to end of Oct for £250!!!! Just for me to get to work half an hour earlier!!

But it gets worse, we are being relocated again soon. Other end of town. I don't currently have a car so its at least an hour each way, 4 buses. I would have to work short days all week to keep my contracted hours, but as I am 6 months pregnant, already knackered and in pain, plus the cover of half term, and the extra cost of breakfast/after school club. It's not worth it.

Naturally my employers won't want me to work stupidly low hours but I don't see an alternative. :( I physically can't do it, it is a struggle now and I work close to home.

I finish for maternity at Christmas though which helps but what do I do after that?? I will have school and a nursery placement to pay for. Why is it so hard if you want to work? I don't want to be a stay at home mum, but I also don't agree that I am left with no money to live on and rushing like an idiot becoming heavily pregnant.

Am I within my rights to request a permanent reduction in my hours?
 
Sorry you're having such a tough time.

As far as I know you can request a reduction in hours but your employer doesn't have to agree to it if it doesn't suit the business

Sorry I can't be of more help
 
You can reduce your hours by getting a sicknote from the docs with the advise to work x amount of hours. I did that because I was just constantly off with migraine as full time was too much.
Do you get all your tax credits and childcare element? Have you checked with the benefit entitlement calculator to see if you qualify for anything extra? And do move schools/nursery when you've moved that's close to home.


 
Thanks. :) I will mention it to my midwife at my next appointment, because I am only 23 weeks pregnant and feel in as much pain now as I did in my last tri with my daughter so it will only get worse.

I originally worked at this other place last year, which I hated the commute even then. Then they moved us here, where I am happy, it is close to school/home etc and works well, even though it is a bit of a rush, it is bearable. At the other place, some buses don't even turn up and sometimes it took me nearly 2 hours to get home, how can I manage that when I have a 4 year old waiting for me at school? :(

Yes I get a small amount for childcare as my breakfast club is currently around £30 a week.

The reduced hours sick note sounds perfect though. Because it is affecting me mentally as well as physically worrying about coping with all this. x
 
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