Childcare and Work Questions

[Naboo]

I have a couple of questions... if anyone can help with 1 or both I would appreciate it.

Currently I work full time and DS is in daycare. I'd like to get pregnant next year and I'm wondering, when I'm on my maternity leave, can I just drop the DC to say 2 or 3 days a week when I'm on maternity leave then bring it back to say 4 days for both kids when I go back to work. I know this is providing there is the space available there. How does daycare view parents dropping days?

Also, I work in a NSW Govt job. After my 2nd there is no way I want to go back to work full time. Can I just tell them that I only want 3 or 4 days and make them deal with the logistics? Also I'm currently displaced, this will hurt my job prospects?

What does people think?

[Myztiks#1Fan]

i dont think there would be a problem with you dropping days. i will be dropping my DS soon as well as he is enrolled for 5 but i will only be able to afford the 4 as i currently only work 4 days. then when you go back to work, as you said providing they have the space, chuck on those extra days you will need.

i am not too sure about the last question you have, but i hope someone can help

[Little-Pink-Hen]

I'm a preschool teacher, :yes: we understand that days need to change etc. I sugest you tell them you need to drop down to 3 when bub is born (you'll need two weeks notice though) and put on waiting list to go back up to five days later otherwise you might have to wait a while to get days back ;)

[Naboo]

Thank you ladies. It's so hard to try and juggle these things. My DH just wants to wing it but I think so much about how things are going to work and how we can afford it and.... and.... and.... :confused:

[missie_mack]

Naboo not sure what state you are in but I am in NSW and also a public servant. Some places are really quite flexible about women coming back to work 3 and 4 days and choosing their hours where others are a little less.
My understanding is that you can make a request and if the employer refuses it the onus is on them to explain why they cannot accept it. The Family Provisions Case of 2005 set up the framework for this type of request stating


The employer shall consider the request having regard to the employee's circumstances and, provided the request is genuinely based on the employee's parental responsibilities, may only refuse the request on reasonable grounds related to the effect on the workplace or the employer's business. Such grounds might include cost, lack of adequate replacement staff, loss of efficiency and the impact on customer service.


My advice would to put in a clause in your request to work part time which you would need to submit a couple of months before returning that you only intend to work part time until your child reaches school age. This indicates a period of time for this to occur and during that time should they refuse and it is taken to IR court the general expectation would be that they should employ another part time worker on fixed contract for this period to meet the other half of your commitment ;) (well at least in my experience with IR courts and precedents set in the past)
But of course this may indeed vary depending on which state you work for :reindeer:

[Naboo]

Thanks Missy. I'm in NSW as well. Another question though... if I put in the request a couple of months before I return to work, how can I put my name on the waiting list for more childcare days without knowing which days I'll be working. Does that make sense? It's so tricky! I wish I could just give up work completely but as I have a well paid Govt job, I'd be stupid to give it up.