Paula's mediation story
Paula, a company administrator working on a job-share basis, couldn’t have been happier when she discovered that she was expecting a baby. However, her joy turned to despair after she found out that while she was on maternity leave, her employer had reduced her responsibilities following a restructure, and had advertised for a post that was basically her job:
“When I found out that I was pregnant, I was so excited! I let my boss know in plenty of time, had a fairly easy pregnancy and got a lovely send-off from my colleagues on my last day. I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy, baby boy two weeks later. After a few months, some of the team popped over for coffee and to see the baby. I discovered that my company had gone through a massive restructure – and that they were advertising a position that was basically my job!
I was shocked. They couldn’t do that surely? I called my boss and he told me that they were ‘reviewing my responsibilities’, and that they would let me know on the completion of the review. The following week I received a letter explaining that my job-share role had been restructured - I was going to have far less responsibility than before; they hadn’t even asked me if I was happy with this! I tried to speak to my boss about it, but he said that there was nothing that could be done, and he ignored a letter I sent. This wasn’t how I wanted to start motherhood, battling to save my job, I was so upset!
As trying to deal with my boss informally hadn’t worked I decided to lodge a grievance with the company. They just blocked or ignored all of my concerns. I received another letter suggesting that my ‘poor performance’ had led to the restructuring! No one had ever commented that my work was poor; on the contrary, my boss always seemed so pleased with my work. I was devastated that after working with them for 15 years they would treat me like this – all because I had a baby it seemed to me!
After a couple of months of stalling, I decided to visit my local advice agency. They were so sympathetic, and explained that one of my options was to take my employer to an Employment Tribunal. They suggested that before I did this I could try mediation. They said that as I still want to work in the same job that this would be the best course of action. They put me in touch with the Equalities Mediation Service, who contacted my employer and told them that I wanted to use mediation to try and resolve the problem. Luckily, my boss agreed.
The session went really well, the mediator was so helpful; keeping us on track and highlighting the issues we needed to discuss. My boss agreed at the meeting that the new post they had advertised for wouldn’t affect my job, and I got an assurance that my pay wouldn’t be reduced. I agreed to retract my grievance, and my employer agreed to withdraw their findings about my 'poor' performance. They also agreed to award me £4,000 in compensation.
I’m so glad that it’s all over now. I didn't have to go to a tribunal and I can go back to the job that I always enjoyed and was good at."
