To say I don't know when I'll be back at work?

[pomadas87]

Starting maternity leave soon, I told my employer I was pregnant and my due date back in May.

I think the mat leave is generous - 6 months full pay, then on to 3 months statutory and then final 3 months unpaid.

In my chats with HR and my manager I said I was thinking of taking around 6-8 months, but I wasn't too sure yet. HR said this was completely fine and i don't need to confirm when I'm coming back yet.

There is freeze on external recruitment at the moment at my organisation due to budget cuts. So my position was advertised internally a couple of weeks ago with 'circa 7 months' as the contract length as HR said to me they can always extend contract if I want to take longer.

A colleague then said yesterday he thinks no one will apply as it's only 7 months so not a satisfactory secondment or new job opportunity for someone internal.
He then essentially said:

• 7 months sounds very short to have off
• once I meet my baby I will probably feel differently and want to take longer
• childcare is very expensive so isn't it better to take as long as possible on mat leave
• that if i come back after 7 months he hopes it's because I want to and not because it's busy at work and I feel I need to get back to help

Overall I got the feeling he's telling me that '6-8' months is unrealistic and I'm preventing them finding adequate cover because of my uncertainty. AIBU? I thought I was allowed to make up my mind later? Would appreciate opinions!

If HR, the people who sort out recruitment too, I assume, say it's OK for you not to give a firm date of returning, then it's OK. You're not the first pregnant employee they've ever dealt with, I assume ? Ignore your colleague, except maybe to give him a wide berth in future because he really had no business discussing this with you - you're not responsible for your company's recruitment policy.
FWIW, I hated the idea of shorter temp positions but gave in and did a 3 month one a few years back and I've now been here three years in a permanent post. I applied for this organisation SO many times, but it was only doing the contract that got my foot in the door. People will apply for temp contracts, there must be another reason they're not applying for your cover.

I'm with your colleague. Everyone I know wants longer off when the baby finally arrives.
Really? I've got a few friends who planned to take a full year and ended up going back at 8 or 9 months because they wanted to.

or suggest they should readvertise saying 'up to 9 months' for instance.

unless you are in HR and responsible for securing your own replacement, it's not your problem to deal with

maybe it's the length that put off applicants

maybe they're paying below market rates (or "competatively" - snort)

maybe your employer has a bad rep in the local talent pool

maybe they advertised it poorly.

doesn't matter, you stick to your rights, and don't make it your problem (unless it actually is).

I also know people who've wanted a shorter mat leave once baby arrived and went back part time earlier.

Colleague needs to mind his own business and you don't owe them anything other than 8 week notice for when you come back. And I wouldn't make suggestions regarding re advertising etc to be honest, I'd stay well out of it!

If he thinks your choices will have an impact on his workload, he needs to talk about his workload with HR, not badger you about your own decisions which are absolutely none of his business.

Take whatever maternity leave is right for you; he shouldn't be trying to pressure you into making commitments you aren't sure about it.

Harassment on the grounds of pregnancy isn't a thing, inexplicably!

Pregnancy is a protected characteristic under equality legislation, so harassment or other discrimination on grounds of pregnancy is in fact a thing.

If he has legit adult concerns, he should make the business case to hr for advertising a longer role, and how gains will offset the costs of an overlap. Say they advertise a one year position and there is a 50% chance of an overlap, then the 'loss' of that overlap is worth three months of salary. If they recruit well, someone who can work for three months and deliver more than six months equivalent value should be easy. Even better, they might recruit someone good enough to replace him!

Tell him he makes a good point, hr should advertise longer and if he is so certain then he could underwrite the risk of you returning on time from his own salary..