How to communicate with your workplace while you’re on parental leave
Many new and expectant parents choose to communicate with their workplace while they’re on parental leave. Whether you communicate with your workplace while you’re on leave or not is up to you. But keeping in touch means you can stay up-to-date with changes and major events happening in the workplace. It can also make the transition back to work after a long period of leave smoother.
You could choose to keep in touch with your workplace via phone calls, e-mails, visiting the workplace or agreeing with your manager to work ‘Keeping in Touch’ days.
‘Keeping in Touch’ days
‘Keeping in Touch’ days are a great way to stay connected with your workplace while you’re on leave. You can agree to work up to 10 Keeping in Touch days without affecting the requirement that you take your parental leave in one unbroken period. You will be paid your regular wage while working these days.
Apart from keeping an ear to the ground about changes at work, ‘Keeping in Touch’ days are also a good time to practice balancing work and childcare commitments before your official return to work date.
If there’s a major change at work while you’re away
It can be very stressful to hear that changes are occurring to your workplace or role while you’re away on leave. If a major change happens to your job while you’re on parental leave, your employer needs to take all reasonable steps to give you information about and an opportunity to discuss decisions that affect the status, pay and location of your job. If you believe you’re not properly informed or are treated unfairly due to your absence from the workplace, talk to a representative at FSU for advice.
Contact FSU
The information above is general in nature. If you need tailored advice about communicating with your workplace while you’re on parental leave, contact FSU on 1300 366 378. For more information about ‘Keeping in Touch’ days, speak to one of our representatives.