Am I being treated unfairly at work?

[vicarinatututoy]

Some background: I have worked for the same company for 14 months in the same role but as relief staff since June (no contracted hours).
From June until this month I was getting 4-5 shifts per week, no complaints about my work- I love the job and the people I work with/service users. I am 5 and a half months pregnant now and suddenly they have hired another relief member of staff who has now taken up almost all the shifts and has been promised the permanent position that is advertised.

I applied for the role and have been asked to attend an interview (an interview arranged by HR who operate outside our workplace who would not know that the job is promised to another).
Today the woman they hired has told them she is unsure she wants the full time role and now the management mentioned the position to me today.

I took a manager aside and told him my grievance and he pretty much admitted that he accepts it is humiliating to make a staff member interview for a job that doesn’t exist as it’s been promised to another. He said that now there is a job available, although they have given the new woman of two weeks until Thursday to let them know her plan.

Am I being a mug to still interview? Do I want the pity job by a company who doesn’t seem to respect the work I do? This woman could decide she does want it and I would be taking part in faux interviews which I find upsetting. Is this unfair treatment due to pregnancy? I don’t understand it and I feel utterly screwed over and used.

Am I being too sensitive? Any criticism/advice will be gladly received!

[LilyMumsnet]

Hi OP

We're just giving this one a bump for you - hopefully someone comes along with some useful advice soon.

[RueCambon]

Do you have any sort of contract? It sounds like they're just disregarding you because of your pregnancy which is unfair given that it has been a good fit for you and there have been no complaints.

I would go through their hoops for now, applying for the role and let them know before you go through the process that you will appreciate any feedback. I was in this position a few years ago, not pregnant though, and I went through the hoops and although it was humiliating for me, I treated the interview like a real interview and demonstrated that I had all the skills required, and balls and I think in the end, she (the manager) ended up feeling more humiliated.

But I wasn't pregnant. I am only bumping this to say you're not sensitive and I hope you get some good advice.

[vicarinatututoy]

Thank you for this. I was called in today by a manager who apologised profusely and said that he hadn’t thought about my feelings or even that what they had done was wrong until I spoke with him. He said that the words ‘pity job’ had stayed with him and they needed to look at how they conduct recruitment.

So, he now says that the job is open to all who are interviewing and the woman who was promised it is no longer guaranteed it. He did slip in that he’d spoken with HR (outside the company, not someone you could just ‘pop in’ to see) so I think maybe they are worried that they’ve been discriminatory and are now covering all bases. I’m sure they could easily say I didn’t perform as well in the interview and now they’ve opened it up it will be deemed fair.

I’m not tying to get anyone into trouble but just to realise that it’s peoples careers and aspirations that they dole out and then take away and that it means something to employees. This work environment isn’t something that’s a pay check, it’s social work and a vocation rather than just a job.

Ugh. So at least I know I’m not being dramatic. They realise their mistakes and if I don’t get it then I look forward to moving on to an employer who respects me more than this one seemingly does. Thank you for listening!