Worried about your employment, maternity, pension rights? Send your questions to The Times Higher advice panel.
I am pregnant with my second child and am considering stopping working as a full-time lecturer in a 6* department and going part time. My university could easily change my contract and drop my salary to 70 per cent but I am concerned there would be no equivalent reduction in workload.
I already work far longer hours than my contract specifies. My department doesn't have a workload agreement. What should I do?
The increase in the number of women in academia make this a highly relevant issue.
* Our panellist from the Universities and Colleges Employers' Association says: "First, you should check your institution's flexible working policy, as there may be procedures in place that would support you.
Women returning from maternity leave have the right to request changes to their working arrangements and while institutions can refuse to make any, they should be able to give good reasons for this."
* The Association of University Teachers' panellist confirms that employers are obliged to give requests to work part time "serious consideration". On workload, he advises: "Workload is always a difficulty and you would have to negotiate with your head of department about how your work would be defined under a reduced contract. This would have to be done by looking at your workload in terms of teaching, research and administration and ensuring a reduction that you assess to be in the order of 30 per cent.
"You would then be wise to quantify what the reductions mean.
For example, you will need to note the number of courses currently taught, the number of students on them, the number of research students and so on.
"You would also need to secure an agreement from your department that, as a part-time member of staff, any assessment of your research output for internal or research assessment exercise purposes takes into account the fact you are part time."
He also says: "You should take a careful note of all these details and secure the written agreement of your head of department to ensure there is no subsequent increase in the requirements asked of you under a 70 per cent contract."
* The Natfhe panellist adds: "A reduction in contractual hours would have to include a reduction in workload. In new universities, this would have to be within the framework of the national contract (maximum 18 hours a week, 550 hours a year). The position is less clear in old universities, but the employer would need to show that any workload reduction was commensurate with a cut in your contracted hours."
* Our resident academic says part-timers will approach the workload issue in different ways. "Even in departments where there is no workload agreement, it is usually possible to reduce teaching and administration. However, research expands to fill the time available and this pressure is unlikely to diminish just because you are now working less than full time.
"People deal with this problem differently. Some choose to be strict about the hours they work and are upfront with colleagues about not working outside these. Others accept that they work longer hours than they are paid for, but regard the flexibility of part-time work as paramount.
Being able to organise not to work during school holidays, for example, may be more important to some than their absolute hours. It is a case of working out a compromise that suits you, reviewing it as circumstances change and managing your colleagues' expectations."
* Our panellist from the Research Councils UK says: "Negotiate a pro-rata workload to fit in with any salary reduction, with a review planned after 6 to 12 months. Think about which parts of the job can be delegated, done by colleagues or simply not done. Suggest how the balance of your salary could be used to compensate the people picking up the work.
If you make suggestions to your employer and negotiate, you will be in the driving seat and more likely to reach a satisfactory solution."