To feel annoyed that I missed out on a job because I am a woman

[curtainsy]

I've just started back at work after 12 months off for maternity leave. Before I went off I had a meeting with HR and my manager to go over my rights etc. One of the things HR said was that they have to keep me informed of job vacancies.

I have now started back and found out that a promotion came up within my team 2 months ago. Four colleagues applied and one of them was appointed. AIBU to be absolutely raging that I wasn't informed?
I don't actually know what to do about it as it's all been done now and he is in this new job so I feel like complaining is pointless.

It's worrying how many misinformed poster there are on here happy to be spouting absolute RUBBISH. Good luck if you have the fight to pursue this discrimination OP. Bastards. What an awful feeling.

I would actually be pissed off if I got overlooked for someone who hadn't been there for a year while I had been working my ass off.

I can't believe some of the responses you're getting here curtainsy! They said they'd contact you. They had the means to contact you. They didn't contact you. Definitely complain and ask them how they are going to rectify this. Maybe consider speaking to an employment lawyer?

If the manager/interviewer of the new role, didn't think of you to let you know about said role, doesn't that say something about what your chances were?

starzig You are either an idiot or on the windup

Why, there's a solution. OP can swap jobs with offending manager who didn't tell her about the vacancy. That might placate some discrimination legislation somewhere.

What an attitude! Do you think there's something wrong with discrimination legislation? Any? Just that which protects women? Do you think it's ok for women to lose out on career advancement because due to biology they gestate the offspring? Fucking hell, this thread is an eye opener.

starzig she didn't "take a year out" she went on maternity leave. And there is a legal framework set up around mat leave (as discussed by many pps upthread. So your hypothetical "year out" is entirely irrelevant.

I can’t believe this thread.
Wether she should have morally checked her emails and kept ontop if info is irrelevant

It’s mother fucking legislated against!!! I mean it’s just basic sense.

Talk to an employment lawyer of your union tomorrow

Op please take this further and discuss with your HR and manager. It’s not fair.

To be honest, if I took a year out (for whatever reason) I really wouldn't expect to be in line for a promotion as soon as I returned. I also wouldn't expect work to inform me of such things when I am not there. I would expect to wait until next promotion round

It doesn’t matter what you expect (and you should raise your expectations BTW). The law says that the OP should be treated the same, whether she’s on maternity leave or not.

Hi OP

I think they've got to be reasonable about it. So if it's on email or work intranet but your access is revoked after x months then they should tell you another way.

A job came up at my place while i was on maternity. They texted me to tell me. Took 2 seconds. I am.sure it had already been promised to someone else but that's another story

I would talk to them about it. No need to go in all guns blazing but make it clear you would have liked to apply and ask if thrtr is anything of a similar level they can give you or you can apply for instead as they should have told you. At the very least they may improve their procedures and might not do it to the next person

There is no legal argument obligation for you to be informed of vacancies in any scenario sorry

Figgygal My understanding is the opposite, are you in HR?

Why do you think the job would have automatically been yours if you had applied?

If that were the case then your manager, colleagues etc would of surely ensured you had applied.

I don't assume that I would have got the job. I am the most qualified, have the most experience and had the best figures before I went off so felt qualified to apply but I have worked in the LA long enough to know that it's completely based on scores at interview. I am just angry that I didn't have the opportunity to apply because I had a baby.

There is no legal argument obligation for you to be informed of vacancies in any scenario sorry

There is a clear legal obligation for a woman on maternity leave to have the same access to be treated no less favourably than employees who are not on maternity leave.

Opening a promotion opportunity to staff who are not on maternity leave but excluding those who are is an example of unfavourable treatment.

God no wonder womens career potential falls off a cliff after kids

This thread shows how much discrimination there is against women, by women. And how many people think the law doesnt apply to them!

It is illegal to discriminate against women in maternity leave ie treat them in any way differently because they are on leave

Women on maternity leave are still employed and have a right to the same employment and training and social opportunities as other employees

It doesnt matter if they haven't been in the office for 13 months - ITS THE LAW

OP should have been informed by whatever method she chose to stay in touch with them while she was off

When I was on maternity leave, HR sent me updates which included latest promotions and training opportunities....

I worked for an enlightened central government type body.

Since then I work in local government, who are woefully backward with their attitude, despite making the noises of being non-discriminatory.

I’m not surprised OP. I’d complain to HR.

They absolutely should have informed you op. However the he fact they didn't is telling, I often find with internal promos that they are done deals before they ever get to interview stage. I think based on my experience that if they didn't value you enough to inform you, then you wouldn't have got the job regardless . You'll never know for sure now though which is unfair.

They have to inform you so definitely speak to HR and do a bit more research on your rights 😊

Whether she would have got the job is irrelevant
Whether she should check her work emails is irrelevant

The only relevant bit, is they discriminated against her due to her sex. That’s the legal aspect of it.

There are some seriously misinformed people on this thread:
OP you have been discriminated against.

This is what ACAS says:

Job vacancies and promotion
Regarding job vacancies and promotion opportunities, an employee must not be discriminated against because of her pregnancy or maternity. For example, it would be discriminatory to:
not tell an employee about suitable job vacancies because she is pregnant or on maternity leave

www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/0/t/Pregnancy___Maternity_Discrimination.pdf

If you are in a union I would contact them for advice. If not , ring ACAS. I've found them very helpful in the past and very informative.

@ukgift I work for a local authority. I do not see the issue here, all jobs are advertised internally and you get an email on the shared system. You do not individually get told.

Also no offense but you were on maternity leave when this happened and you have only now just stared back at work. Get your feet back under the table. Unlikely you would have got that job anyway having been out of work for a year.

This isn't true. My friend just went back to a well deserved promotion to director level. Her manager contacted her which he was obliged to do and she applied and went through the process. She was the best person for the job so she got it, despite being out of the business for nearly a year. 🙌

Honestly some answers! They should have contacted you, end of! They have your personal email and address, I work for a non profit and going to a restructure, HR is ensuring that all on ML are contacted or they'll get the shit from an employee tribunal. @curtainsy you have all the right to be furious, have a look at this website for advice, I'm pretty sure you have a good case pregnantthenscrewed.com

How did you do your KIT days OP
One if our colleagues updated her password when she went in.
She also went in between them to ensure her password stayed updated as she wanted to be kept in the loop with everything that was going on.