To not feel guilty about maternity leave colleague

I think it’s quite normal to message your team after such a big announcement. She’d clearly messaged the other admin too. And it is natural they’d be upset. Did they know your role was safe?

If she has questioned the redundancy process (and we don't even know that she has) then I think that's understandable. You've been away for 6 months and the two people who have been covering your work are being let go. This means you will be the only Admin employed by the business, but you're still off sick with no return date. That just doesn't make sense to me.

I think it would be very strange if she and other colleague weren't questioning it to be honest. It's not necessarily about you, how good you are at your job or whether you "deserve" the role. The reality is that however deserving you may be you are not there to do it. That's not to say you should feel guilty, but I think people will naturally have questions over how the process has been managed and what your employers end game is here.

Capability/absence manage out the postholder without the expense of a redundancy payout and re-hire someone new.

It’s unpleasant but they are going to want someone reliable. I say that as someone with a chronic illness who has had periods of sick leave before anyone accuses me of being discriminatory. I have a long term condition and I have managed a department so I understand a balance is needed.

It may be done in tandem with the redundancy process to enable the redundant employees to apply.

When will you be back full time?

Honestly I'd be annoyed too, if I'd always been to work, and you were always off sick. It would feel unfair. Also who on earth is going to cover your role, when you're off further? You may find yourself pushed out, when there's no one else covering your job.

Why this thread? Did you want everyone to agree that she's awful?

Just focus on your own stuff.

If they only need one admin and your it but your not there - how does that work ?

So she’s not said anything, is the one worried about losing her jobs, especially whilst she’s off with a new baby, and you’re making it all about you.

I know you said you don’t feel guilty but you must be feeling something for you to be thinking this much about it.

If itnis even true, I thibk her reaction is quite natural. She hasn't been nasty. Hasn't even said anything. But when you're made redundant it is quite natural (even if unfaily) to think "why me, why not that person" and you are probably an easy target due to you being off sick. You don't have to feel quilty. You haven't influences these decisions.

To be honest I’m not sure why you’ve referred to her as “maternity leave colleague”. Your period of sick leave is much more significant than hers. She is more dependable in grand scheme than you have been to date. I think you really need to give your head a wobble and understand you’re in a more precarious position.

if you found out about this because a colleague told in a personal message, you are not finding out through official channels. Your manager hasn’t told you yet, and therefore you are not aware of your position in all this. Your colleague would not be privy to the entire picture and therefore you are working with limited knowledge

People reach out to colleagues at times of uncertainty.

I wouldn’t be so certain your role is secure if you’re sickness record (even though entirely justified and required - your health is far more important) is high, especially if you’ve been sick for the last 4 years (even though through no fault of your own).

She has done and is doing nothing wrong. Being at risk of redundancy is hugely stressful so of course she will be worried and it’s human nature to think it unfair that one person out of three who does the role isn’t at risk too.

"Reading between the lines' = making it up.

Stop thinking about this woman, who is allowed to feel whatever she wants, and focus on you.

Just because your role is safe, it doesn’t mean you are safe OP. I am just being completely honest but no worker is that good that a company will hold onto them when they have been continuously absent. The truth is they need an employee that is able to do the job and long term you don’t even know when you can return to work. You can be the nicest most efficient person ever, but there’s no doubt your absence will cause problems for them especially if they’re paying you

Or, big shocker, she's thinking about herself and her own job and you're making it all about you?

People are so good at that. She's allowed to be upset. She's allowed to question it. It has no reflection on you.

Being honest I would be keeping on either the maternity leave lady or someone else who hasn't been off sick for six months. It makes more business sense. You sound a bit gleeful. I hope it doesn't bite you on the bum.

If I'd been covering for a colleague on extended sick leave but then I was put up for redundancy and they weren't, I'd be pissed off and questioning why that role wasn't in the pool at risk. If your reading between the lines is accurate (and you can't know if it is), that's a perfectly reasonable way for her to feel. It doesn't mean you've done anything wrong or should feel guilty but she's entitled to question the process.

But as others have said, I wouldn't be so sure your job is safe.

Honestly I agree with the other comments that you need to stop worrying about her and start worrying about yourself. Cancer or not, you are still subject to absence management procedures up to and including dismissal, your continuous absence would definitely have been taken into account as they consider redundancies. By this, I mean taking legal advice on their next steps with regard to you.

the fact they have made your entire team redundant suggests they will do similar with your role - plus they can show they’re not being discriminatory as the entire team was made redundant as opposed to just the disabled person’s role.

I don't think this is about you though?

She is on maternity leave and found this out, of course she's incredibly stressed. This isn't about you.

Who is doing the work then?
If it's a role that will be continued, but currently no one is doing it - why is it still deemed necessary?

Or are the other staff, including those who are now up,for redundancy, covering the additional,work load? And is that why they feel aggrieved that you aren't all in the same redundancy pool?

So there are 3 roles, one is off on maternity and another is off sick for 6 months and not being covered? And they are making the last remaining person redundant too? It doesn't sound like there's any work to do.

I don't get why you'd feel guilty though, none of it is anything you have any control over. The maternity leave person is entitled to have the proper process followed. It's nothing to do with you

It's bad luck, not your fault but I don't think she'd be unreasonable to question why her post is being made redundant and others are seemingly safe from this, this may have translated back to you badly so I would give the benefit of the doubt. How many people are affected by the redundancy?