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Subtle role change after maternity leave - is this maternity discrimination?

7 replies

divinedahlia · 05/10/2015 12:57

... or do I just have to suck it up?

I work in the third sector, account-managing key funders for a charity. I'm on maternity leave, and will be going back part-time.

While I've been on leave, the team has been restructured and grown considerably to attempt to meet much bigger bloody ridiculous targets. I have been told, off the record, that my director considers me something of a nuisance, in as much as I'm not currently of any use (still on leave) and will be working part-time and having to leave on time due to childcare once I'm back. So her attitude is worrying me somewhat; I feel I'll be going back on the back foot.

I've been advised that my most lucrative funding relationships will now be managed by others in the team. They want me to come back and not feel "overwhelmed" by all the change and to be able to come straight in and do something I'm "comfortable" with, so will leave me with my "little" accounts, as I'll "only" be in part-time anyway.

In a recent meeting, I explained to my (new) manager that I have good relationships with these funders, and she said, well, staff and trustees change so the relationship doesn't last forever anyway. I also said I enjoyed and am good at working with funders at this level and would be sorry not to continue to - and she said but you haven't been here, so someone else has to look after them. (Yes while I'm on maternity leave, but when I get back too?) I'd achieved some great results with them, of which I'm immensely proud.

Also significantly, I'm worried that my CV is effectively going to nose-dive, not even plateau, if I go from bringing in big money to small; from looking after large, lucrative relationships to small ones. I started this role several years ago working even more part-time, "only" being in the office two days a week, and this didn't stop me achieving results with the big guns.

Can they change my portfolio to "small fry" like this, on the grounds of restructuring, expanding the team and new targets? Is this simply an inevitable, typical pitfall with working part-time combined with returning from maternity leave (i.e. career suicide)? I feel so disappointed.

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Boosiehs · 05/10/2015 13:00

I would get some legal advice..... I would consider that to be a demotion. How long have you been off?

I would also think about your manager's attitude. that is quite clearly discrimination.

Do you think you can work with the larger funders if you are part time?

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anotherdayanothersquabble · 05/10/2015 13:20

I can't say it will help at all but do tell them in no uncertain terms what you think and why.

This happened to me, I worked part time, had the biggest, most complex accounts, made the most profit, was the most efficient even when compared directly to full time colleagues, people outside of my area wanted me to work with them because I was good. but my immediate and next level up boss couldn't see past me being part time and I got the drudge stuff. I was so very very angry and upset. Luckily my new boss helped me get promoted into my dream job in another area of the company.

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divinedahlia · 05/10/2015 13:29

Thank you both for posting.

I will have taken the full year's maternity leave by the time I go back.

I used to do this job on two days a week initially, when my older child was younger, and gradually increased my hours over the years. I managed to look after the larger funders (although of course not as many relationships overall) in those hours.

They're not reducing my pay, obviously, but not having the big donors in my portfolio will make it very difficult for me to achieve a respectable ROI, which I feel will impact on my CV for if/when I might want to move on.

Unfortunately, it's quite a specialised role and there aren't others for miles around, so jumping ship would be a huge risk. Nonetheless, staying put could clearly be a career dead end anyway.

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MHowell37 · 10/10/2015 19:44

I agree with Boosiehs. Just imagine if you hadn't been pregnant and the charity still underwent restructuring due to growth and new targets, do you think they would still have redistributed your most lucrative funding relationships?

It sounds like they have little faith in you being able to continue from where you left off though I do hope I am wrong.

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ZenNudist · 10/10/2015 19:53

I sympathise and have been in your position in a different industry. There's not much you can do. It's so subtle. What are the terms of your mat leave because at my place they don't have to give you your old job back at a year, they do at 9 months.

I think you should sit down with your manager and HR and outline your concerns. Request to stay on the finders you originally had. Mastitis g 'you weren't there ' is on the edge of discrimination as maternity leave isn't overtly supposed to disadvantage you ( but it so often does)

Start keeping a record of the comments made by this manager. It might be needed if you need to deal with any more discrimination.

It's going to sound really sexist and is really only borne out by my own shitty experience, but I think women can be worse than men as they feel like their gender absolved them of discrimination.

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Unthoughtknown · 11/10/2015 10:10

I think the reality is you are being discriminated against, however I probably would say they are operating within the confines of legislation. Maternity action is a great resource. You should raise it formally though, but be ready and prepared with solutions

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UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 11/10/2015 17:06

I don't think it's discrimination and having worked in sales and fundraising I see their point. The primary relationship should be between the organisation and the donor, with the account managers interchangeable (albeit personal relationships are important).

You sound great at your job and your cv won't be affected. I would spin it "took on a new challenge of establishing and growing new donor relationships, increasing income by x%" if the absolute figures are less favourable.

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