Maternity cover getting paid more than me....advice sought

[Notsosexymama]

I am very annoyed, I have just discovered that my maternity cover will be getting paid circa £3k more than me. Do I have any right to complain to the HR dept? The only reason I am on my current salary is because I threatened to resign a few months ago and so they kindly pushed me upto the 'going rate'. I'm sure I don't have any valid grounds to complain but I am incredibly frustrated and want to vent my anger re my manangement!
Any advice welcome

[ilovelovemydog]

There isn't an overall right to 'equal pay' as it's a contractual term and can be varied. Exception of course is where a man and woman are doing the same job (or roughly similar) with unequal pay.

Are you sure your cover is getting more than you and that it isn't just bravado?

Suppose you can be somewhat smug in that you have a permanent job... Perhaps the increase in pay in due to it being a short term contract?

[HappyMummyOfOne]

Temps vary in rates so can earn more than the original person - happends where I work but the job needs to be covered and you rarely get internal applicants for maternity leave cover.

[flowerybeanbag]

Could be any number of reasons. Sometimes temps get paid slightly more to compensate for the lack of benefits/rights/security that comes with a permanent job. Perhaps the person is doing a bit more than you were doing. Perhaps your employer was forced to take on someone more experienced than they needed due to a lack of suitable candidates.

how have you discovered this? Did your maternity cover tell you him/herself?