Post Maternity Leave Depression

[Kbo]

Hi,

I'm new to these forums but am seeking advice.

Yesterday I had my first day back after 8 months maternity leave.

While away my job was restructured. I am now reporting to my maternity leave replacement.

Since going in I have realised that essentially my role is down graded and I will be doing the work of the person that reported to me.

I feel severely depressed and isolated. I don't know what to do or who to turn too. My partner wants me to suck and work as it's an income and I know logically I have to work yet I have done nothing but spend the day in tears.

Seeking advice from those that have had similar feelings about work or how to manage depression at work in general.

Thank you

[Aaronsis]

Hi Kbo

Welcome and it is great that you have reached out here, coming back from Mat leave is a really "unknown" time, how you are going to feel about leaving your child, how will you new day look with working and managing the home and yes, what does the role look like now. I am no professional here however I understood that when you returned from mat leave the role you returned to had to equal to or above the role you left. I am not sure if this is true by law but I am really feeling your pain here. You have every right to pause your role to have a child and in no way should you be punished for this. Now when I say punished I mean why should your role minimize due to you having a child, infact I would have a look into this further as I am not sure what the legalities of it are. Do you have a HR department that you can chat this through with?

I am sorry that your partner is sort of coming from the "suck it up" view point, it is hard to have that put on you when you are feeling invalid in your return to work and not to have your partner support you would be hard too.

I am so sorry this has happened and I would most certainly be following this up on Monday with HR, perhaps even fair work??? I really think you need to check this out as it doesn't seem right to me.

Hope to chat some more to you Kbo.

Hugs

AS

[Kbo]

Hi AS,

Thankyou for your reply.

If you are away less than 26 weeks you can walk right back into you roll. Any longer and they can change it by right but have to offer you a similar position. It Is, but any of the parts that were more responsibility have gone to my replacement. I had one person under me and essentially I walk into her roll plus bits mashed from another redundant roll.

I struggled with PTSD during this pregnancy and could never fulfil the roll in complete (and couldn't be sent away for needed training for those parts either).

I feel like any good work I have done for the company (and I can show what I did do too) has just been ignored and that given the chance they would just let me go too.

If I choose to say no, it would be seen as resignation too so I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.

While I will miss my baby when he is in care, I know by nature he will be fine and thriving boy so I'm not phased there.

I usually talk to my boss about this but now I don't report to him and feel like I would be burdening him and I can't talk to my now superior as she hasn't been there long and is very orientated to our sister site who have pushed for this decision.

The more I dwell the more I feel hopeless.

KBo

[Aaronsis]

Hi Kbo

I am so sorry this is all happening to you which is what should be a time of joy as you enjoy your son. It is so hard to have to go through this whole role upheaval especially when you had difficulties before you left.

I am not sure who at work, but I think you need to speak to someone, be it your manager, even though they are new, they still have a role to take care of you and essentially to get the best from you as an employee and this is not going to happen while you are feeling so hurt and so confused and uncertain.

The company should have addressed all these things with you when you started and outlined to you that the role you are doing has changed and that it is not a reflection on you and these are the reasons we have done this...then go about a change management scenario with you so you do feel valued and you do have peace of mind knowing what to expect and that you are a hard worker and they do value you. I am so sorry this has not happened.

I think so clarity here is needed for you so you can understand what the role now looks like, what is expected from you and why this things have occurred.

I am not sure if you want to talk about the PTSD, this too is alot to manage as well with everything that is going on.

You are so very right about your son in care though, they do manage and they actually do go on to have some resilience at a very young age, which is great. He will be cared for and entertained and then look forward to seeing his mum when the end of the day comes.

Hugs to you Kbo, this is really hard to have happen.

AS

[team_nobody]

Hi there, I was just wondering if you have had to accept any kind of pay cut?

Just that i thought maternity leave replacements were only temps, has this person permanently replaced you?
In that case go to the Fair Work Ombudsman because i have a hunch that is illegal.