Career Break and Pregnant

Mousie32

Hi there,

Looking for some advice or if anybody has been in a similar position could share there experience.

My wife is currently on a career break from the HSE and is now pregnant and due at the end of June. She was due to go back to work in May this year. Her friends all work in the same field so while telling them the great news, and out of courtesy, she informed the manager of the situation as she didn't want to her manager to hear it on the grapevine.

To cut a long storey short, her manager ask to meet which she did. During the meeting her manager asked / requestsd my wife to come back early from a career break (February) as they were extremely busy. The following day after the meeting my wife emailed the manager to say no she was going to take the rest of her career break and will be back in May.

My wife has just received a letter saying that the request for return in May has been declined and will be reviewed next year again. Attached to the letter was a HSE memo on a recruitment freeze and any one on career break is not being accepted to return for another 12 months. This we understand is correct and not debating that, but how can they ask to come back earlier and then say no if there is a service need. I do understand that my wife would only be back 4 weeks and then off, but then would be back after 6 months. If there was a service need could they not accept that instead of waiting the full 12 months? To us it seems because she is pregnant they are dismissing her.

It means my wife will miss out on maternity pay which would be a great help to us.

Any people any advice or similar experience? My wife has contacted the INMO and got a bit of a standard response back just saying they can delay it by a year. There was no comment in relation to asking her back early.

My wife is going to go back to the manager to seek clarification and that, but any help would be appreciated to see where we stand or are we peeing into the wind.

Thanks

peacock_lane

Congratulations on the pregnancy! I can see where you're both coming from on this (and most of us would feel the same) but I don't know that anything can actually be done about it as from what you've said they are technically not doing anything wrong. It sounds like they thought they had scope to bring her back in if February suited, but as the timing wasn't right for her they're not in a position to bring her back in May per the ongoing issues with recruitment freezes and are within their rights per policy to push her return out by 12 months. Perhaps they're bringing someone else in from February and that means there's no room for your wife to return? Are they allowing anyone else come back in around May that you could refer to in terms of proving your wife is being treated less favourably?

ax530

I don't know how it works but maybe if they need someone in Feb and she not available they have it now covered by someone else so don't need her back for a further year?

I would imagine if she went back in Feb could have built up enough PRSI for maternity pay so would be of an advantage to her?

( No clue how public service employment works)

Mousie32

Hi folks,

Thanks for your replies it is much appreciated. Yes it is just a bit raw. It feels like my wife is being punished for being pregnant. She wanted to give them the heads up that they won't have someone for 6 months in June. No nobody else is coming in February or May. There will be students coming out in July I believe but they aren't fully qualified to September / October. Suppose we might hang tight just to see what their response is. Thanks guys