I've just got back from maternity leave, two months ago. My colleague is going on sabbatical soon. I didn't link the two things in my mind at all until just now.

She was talking on the phone to a client, speaking a language that she always forgets that I can understand and she said...
... that she is going on sabbatical because 'unlike some people she hasn't taken maternity leave', so she approached the boss and pointed out to him that 'unlike some people' she hasn't had children but she shouldn't be discriminated against (her words to the client. Well, a translation of her words). So he relented and gave her a paid sabbatical instead. Because I had all that 'time off', so now she wants time off too (again, her words). Now, I totally support her decision to take a sabbatical and think it can be a positive thing. I just think that being jealous of my maternity is a really weird trigger???

at my old company they offered sabbaticals and maternity leave - but you couldn't have a sabbatical if you'd had maternity leave, but you could if it was the other way around... hmmm...

a paid sabatical????

did your company pay you during the maternity leave?

Their maternity policy isn't too bad, I was paid 100% salary for the first 6 weeks, 70% for 12 more weeks, then SMP for the rest. I was off for 6 months.

She's a weirdo. Ask her if she'd like to babysit sometime and find out how hard it is looking after children.

i can see her point

That's just weird. I wonder if your colleague will spend her six months off a)in chronic discomfort b)unable to sit down for a week or so c)with leaky boobs d) covered in sick and poo and e) with no sleep.

No, she's spending it on a yacht sailing around the Whitsunday Islands off Australia... Seriously, that's what she's doing!

Lot of people are very insistent that they are entitled to stuff that people who have children get.
In fact I think there is some horrid website/club thing for them.

Had stand up argument with colleague at work who is a right twat about this. He backed down when I pointed out that my children would be supporting him through his old age.

Basically this attitude is quite common and I think it stinks. Put a drawing pin on her chair and watch her squeal the word sabbatical when she sits on it!

lol @ fizzbuzz