(1) Subject to this Part, on the expiry of a period during which an employee was absent from work while on protective leave, the employee shall be entitled to return to work -

(a) with the employer with whom she or he was working immediately before the start of that period or, where during the employee's absence from work there was a change of ownership of the undertaking in which she or he was employed immediately before her or his absence, with the owner (in this Act referred to as "the successor") of the undertaking at the expiry of the period of absence,

(b) in the job which the employee held immediately before the start of that period, and

(c) under the contract of employment under which the employee was employed immediately before the start of that period, or, where a change of ownership such as is referred to in paragraph (a) has occurred, under a contract of employment with the successor which is identical to the contract under which the employee was employed immediately before the start of that period, and (in either case) under terms or conditions

(i) not less favourable than those that would have been applicable to the employee, and