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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I should get a bonus if everyone else does even though I’m on mat leave

91 replies

LahDeDah · 23/12/2018 18:50

Small organisation and the bonus isn’t massive usually but it’s a nice little something that I usually buy myself something with because I don’t really buy anything unless I need it since I’ve had my children, not that it matters to the thread.
I worked in place for 10+ years and currently on mat leave, I was there for 6 months of this year and I feel like I work hard for them as I always have done. This year I haven’t been invited to work Xmas party and also no bonus. Aibu to think it’s not fair if all other employees are having these perks?

OP posts:
purpleelk · 23/12/2018 18:51

Yup. And usually companies do because they don’t want a grievance raised.

kaytee87 · 23/12/2018 18:51

Yanbu. I got my full years bonus when on mat leave. It's discriminatory not to.

InanimateCarbonRod · 23/12/2018 18:51

YABU. In every organisation I've worked in maternity leave means no bonus and other perks during that period.

christmasrobin · 23/12/2018 18:51

That's not very fair about the party. You worked there a lot of the year so should be invited. Ours always invites people who have worked throughout the year.
The bonus I can't comment on as it's different for every company, some it's just for the Christmas period and others it's the whole year

AllKinds · 23/12/2018 18:52

That's really shit you didn't get an invite to the work Xmas do - it's not like you've left!

Hidillyho · 23/12/2018 18:53

You are entitled to the same things when on mat leave (so accruing holiday, any bonuses etc). You are still an employee so it’s weird you weren’t invited to the Christmas do although I suppose they don’t have to.

EatSleepRantRepeat · 23/12/2018 18:58

It really depends if your bonus is dependent on company performance, individual performance or a mix of both. Usually in the companies I have worked for (bonus based on both company and individual performance) you don't attract bonus for the days you were on mat leave. However, if the person worked for a proportion of the year before/after mat leave, then they would receive a pro-rated bonus.

LivingDeadGirlUK · 23/12/2018 19:00

I still got a bonus when on mat leave, I actually did better than my colleagues as i got it in my pay instead of vouchers.

Original poster
LahDeDah · 23/12/2018 19:00

I think it’s always been like a Xmas gift/thank you so I guess maybe I shouldn’t get it if not currently there although I am still an employee so that’s why I feel a bit peeved about both things really. Making me feel undervalued and I work my socks off for them

OP posts:
Merryoldgoat · 23/12/2018 19:02

YANBU

We get bankers rather than bonuses and I’ve been on mat leave for 11 months.

I went to the (paid for) Christmas party and my manager called me to go in and collect my presents.

I’d be very peeved if I were you.

topcat2014 · 23/12/2018 19:02

Your benefits etc have to legally continue as before - so I think they are at fault.

If there was a bonus for, say, November sales, and you weren't there then that is one thing, but a general "company had a good year to all staff" type bonus, then you should qualify.

For what I am assuming is just a few hundred £, the company are seriously pissing off a current employee, who could leave, and then they would have to pay several K to recruitment consultants to replace.

Merryoldgoat · 23/12/2018 19:02

Hampers! Not bankers! Confused

HJE17 · 23/12/2018 19:04

My company pro-rates our bonus while on mat leave, so for example last Year I went on leave in July, having worked Jan-June. In December, I therefore received 1/2 my annual bonus (while on leave) to cover the 1/2 of the year I’d worked.

KonekoBasu · 23/12/2018 19:04

I was invited to the Christmas party, and the AGM as well while on maternity leave. Guess which one I actually attended Xmas Smile

Don't know about the bonus, but definitely nbu about the party.

Myglassesareknackered · 23/12/2018 19:05

You are absolutely entitled to the Christmas bonus. To leave you out of the ‘do’ and not giving you a bonus is completely discriminatory behaviour. If it’s a small organisation, they may not realise you have to be treated the same, but that doesn’t mean it’s ok.

BikeRunSki · 23/12/2018 19:06

I guess it depends if the bonus is related to
your personal performance.

Thentherewascake · 23/12/2018 19:07

YABU

why should you get an extra when you haven't been around? Would you expect a man who has gone on sabbatical for 6 months to get a bonus too?

Myglassesareknackered · 23/12/2018 19:09

Appalled that people think the OP is not entitled. She is still a permanent employee. You are not allowed to treat staff differently, or exclude them, because they are on maternity leave. They have exactly the same rights as if they were in the office every day.

Littlecaf · 23/12/2018 19:09

You are entitled to it! It’s discrimination to not give it - I got my increment (I had to ask for it) when on maternity leave. My question to my boss was “would I have got it if I wasn’t on mat leave - ie were my statistics and targets were being met prior to maternity leave?” He said yes, so I figured I was entitled to. It’s not a womans fault that we give birth so we shouldn’t be discriminated against for being pregnant or on maternity leave!

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 23/12/2018 19:13

You are still am employee so should get treated like an employee and given employee benefits so should have had a party invite

Bonus is different as discretionary and linked to performance so if you're not there I think legally you don't get it. At my company they pro rata the bonus you would have got, based on the proportion of the year you worked so for you it would be 50pc of your bonus which seems fair

Myglassesareknackered · 23/12/2018 19:15

At my company they pro rata the bonus you would have got, based on the proportion of the year you worked so for you it would be 50pc of your bonus which seems fair
That’s neither fair, nor legal. She did not join the company part way through the year. She was an employee throughout the whole year. Jeez.

Thentherewascake · 23/12/2018 19:15

If I was giving a bonus to a woman on maternity leave, I would have half the staff complaining that they are discriminated against because they didn't have a child that year and they actually had to put the hours to get their bonus.

If I treat everyone the same, I calculate the bonus on the effort they put in, so the woman who is not at work doesn't get it, neither does the man on sabbatical. It's not always the results exactly, it's the attitude and effort.

niccyb · 23/12/2018 19:17

YANBU. I used to work for the royal bank of Scotland before the government stepped in and it went bust. I was on Mat leave twice with the company and would still get paid the bonus as it was based on the annual profits

CheshireSplat · 23/12/2018 19:18

OP, if I were you I'd ask to why this moved to the Employment topic where some employment lawyers hang out.

Justanotherlurker · 23/12/2018 19:18

No one will be able to say with any certainty, depends on how the bonus is termed in your contract.

YANBU to generally feel miffed though

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