I've NCed for this as it's potentially outing.
I am about to start my maternity leave in a couple of weeks with second child. Been at current job over 10 years. Company is small less than 20 staff. Love my job, have built up good reputation, have delivered good results all year.
For first maternity leave, no recruitment took place, instead by boss offered the role to someone else internally. He didn't inform me. Person ended up coming to see me and letting it slip they had been offered role. I felt shut out and pissed off (as I am higher level management and boss is head of company). Felt I should have been told. Person selected also reported into me at the time so it was fairly awkward.
At the time I had chat with boss and explained how I felt and he agreed he should have informed me of his decision, and apologised.
Now about to start 2nd mat leave 2 years later, this time an internal recruitment process has taken place, which I was aware of but not involved in. Not my choice - I haven't been consulted at all.
The person chosen for the role came to see me the following day to inform me and so that we can organise some handover. It has now been a few days and despite my boss communicating with me about various work issues, he hasn't informed me himself of who my cover is going to be.
I feel like I have been shut out because I'm going on mat leave, which feels like a bit of discrimination really.
It might also help to point out I am a high performing staff member, deliver on all my targets and thought I had a reasonably good working relationship with my boss.
If this was you would you raise this before going on mat leave or would you suck it up?