Career break question?

[mickeymacca]

So career breaks are still an option since the massive changes within Royal Mail of late? I've not been on here for some years, but am consideing taking some time off to travel for 6 months to a year and have a break from it all. I was just wondering if this was still an option, and if so how much notice do we have to give, and is it arranged through management or the union? I can only do this if I know I have a job to come home to. Any advice would be grately appreciated.

Hi mate,

I came back from a year out last September. There is a guide to career breaks that you can look at that will give you more detailed information, but in short you need to give a minimum of 3 months notice, have a good service record, and return for a few weeks work for every year you take out (not applicable if you are only going for 6 months) you can take up to 2 years. Go for it mate I had a great time, and its a great benefit that not many take advantage of, any questions you want to ask then don't hesitate.

all the best

Did you managed to get a decent Christmas holiday as RM never allow anyone to have a December leave and I plan to apply one to run from August onward for a year. Planning to go to Canada and want to spend Christmas there with my relatives, they been asking me when I will get time off from work. I spoke to the union that from the guide saying that you need to come back to work for few weeks and that usually in a December, they said to put on writing that you will be abroad that time but can work for few weeks on other times. I really need a Xmas break abroad after working with RM for 10 years when my old job we get Xmas shut down. Plus need a break from working as well and enjoy while time off.

Well I actually asked to work over xmas as it was when we were back anyway for a few weeks, but to my knowledge as long as you do your 2 weeks within the year then it doesn't matter when, although you obviously need to pre-arrange. That said my DOMs are pretty good, so if yours are not so accommodating that may try and tell you differently, the Union will clarify any misunderstandings!

[wacko74]

Mickey, did you have any issues returning from from your career break or were you able to walk straight back into your old role in your original unit?

As RM have a penchant for preferring their employees to be part time on temp contracts I'm a little concerned that as a full timer with a permanent contract they will try and fob me off and simply tell me they can't 're-accomodate' me at the end of my career break later this year.

No I came back as a reserve but on the same hours/ days which I don't mind too much, I think you'll struggle to come back to the same duty. Even though my old job is still vacant (I covered days off as a floater) operational needs stae i am required to be a reserve, as I said that actually suits me.

hope that helps mate

Thanks for that, i didn't have a duty anyway, I was a leave reserve... having only been in the job for a mere 15 years!

I still suspect that they will just try and tell me there is no longer a position for me at my D.O. when what they really mean is they have replaced me with someone on a part time/temporary contract, but I'll just have to cross that bridge when I come to it.