maternity law

[alexjmeads]

Hello, I’m hoping someone can help.
My wife is currently coming to the end of her maternity leave and the hotel that she worked at has changed hands
Now she wants to go back to work they have told her that the position that she had is no longer available. They have offered her another job which is a early start time, now this would make in near on impossible to do when we have a seven month old baby to have to sort out in the morning.
Is there anyone who can let us know what our right are on this?
To make matters worse they have changed the payday dates without telling her.
Can they do this?
Thank you for you time

[Skyline D]

Don't know enough about this but I'd suggest posting it in either "Jobs" or "Law" rather than "Personal Finance" if you haven't also posted there. Those are more appropriate sections and more likely to find people who know the answer.

[factor-fiction]

I think they can provided they give appropriate notice, although I'm not an expert in this area. Hopefully buenchico or buildersmate will see the question and will be able to answer it for you

[themas]

Go to your local CAB or ring the ACAS Helpline.

[Whoever]

I think the situation is that your wife's employer has offered her another job so under the law they've done what is reasonable to try and protect her continued employment. The law does not necessarily say that the alternative job has to be the same working hours as the old one and if your wife cannot accept it, the company can legitimately make her redundant. However, your wife does have the right to ask the company for more flexible or different working hours to accommodate her new situation but the company is not obliged to offer them, so her best option is to ask for a meeting with her employers, explain her situation and ask whether the working hours can be changed.
A good employer and/or boss would have been liaising with your wife during her maternith leave to keep her in touch with what has been happening in her absence. That unfortunately hasn't happened and if a notice about changed paydday dates went out to all employees, your wife should have been included in the circulation, even though she was on maternity leave.