Strange goings on..

[Sarah1980]

Whilst on maternity leave I requested to go part time in my role. For business reasons they said no and didn't make much of an attempt to advertise for someone to job share with me. They offered me a job that was on a lower scale and less money. At the time my husband and I didn't have the money to fight them on this. Since then I have been in the part time role that they offered me and become experienced in what I do. The organisation moved location and my colleague was offered a new position because her role didn't exist anymore. The job description, was more or less the same as mine (just better title and money) but I didn't get offered the job. My colleague has since left and since then I have been doing everything that she did. I asked my manager if I could have a better title. They said that they would look into it in April next year. I know for a fact that others in the office are getting new roles and different titles now but since I had my daughter they just seem to be treating me more unfairly than full time employees. I might not be full time but still been fitting everything into three days and working really hard.

[Sarah1980]

If anyone has any advice on what to do, I would be really grateful..

[edam]

I think you need to speak to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission - the body that has taken over from the Equal Ops commission. Hope they can help!

[StillSquiffy]

Job titles are neither here nor there from a legal point of view, unless they are linked to different pay structures or a clearly lower status within the company. In what other ways do you think you are being treated unfairly?

I don't think the lower scale/less money role that you took after OML is an example of unfairness either; job sharing can be a nightmare and if there was a lower paid part time job going, and they offered it as an alternative and you accepted then TBH I don't see the problem - nothing strange about this. In many organisations there are some roles better suited than others to part time and if they are on different pay scales then it would only be unfair if they forced you into it and told you that you couldn't come back full time to your old position on your old salary.

Are other things happening? It is true that they may think that you are less committed because you are part time and for this reason they may be less willing to jump through hoops for you that they might do for others; but that in itself isn't discrimination, it is a matter of mutual trust. It is only if their actions are unfair that you can do anything, and I don't see anything in your post to convince me that they are being overtly discrimnatory towards you (a little insensitive, yes, overstepping the mark legally, no).

[flowerybeanbag]

Did they say no to your part time request or did they say yes as long as we can find a job share and then you believe they didn't try hard enough to recruit someone? Not quite the same thing. Anyway, that's over now and not relevant to the problem you have at the moment.

In terms of the role you did accept, as squiffy says, the fact that the part time role they were able to offer you was on a lower scale and less money isn't necessarily a problem, as long as the scale and money reflect what the job is. You were under no obligation to accept it, but you did and again, that's all over now.

IN terms of the new position offered to your colleague, well if her role didn't exist anymore and the alternative was I imagine making her redundant, it sounds absolutely right that it should be offered to her rather than you, as you were safe in a job.

So as I see it, on reading your post, the only actual problem here is that you believe the job title you have doesn't reflect the actual work you are doing. Do you believe the money you are on doesn't reflect the work you are doing either?

Whether it's just the job title or the money as well, it's fine to be fed up with that, and to try to do something about it. Assuming their promise of looking into it in April isn't soon enough for you, put together a case for a new job title and salary (if appropriate). Outline the duties you are taking on, give examples of your excellent performance and of you going over and above the call of duty in the last few months. Give comparisons with similar roles in similar industries if possible.

In other words put something together that doesn't sound like a whinge, but sounds like a well-thought out, rational, logical and business-like proposal for your role going forward. If you have an appraisal coming up, that would be a good opportunity to do it, otherwise book a meeting in with your line manager to discuss it.

[Sarah1980]

Thank you for all of your advise. Much appreciated. x