To be worried work are going to make me redundant after maternity leave?

[Autumnmapleleaf]

I have a busy, fairly stressful role. I go on Maternity leave at the end of August.

In the last couple of weeks, my boss has hired not one, but two people to take over my role, one person doing half and the other person doing the other half. Except both of these people have different job titles to mine and both of these people have been hired permanently.

I thought it was going to be someone full time hired on a 9 month maternity cover and someone part time (as we had already ascertained my role has become too busy now for one person) on a permanent basis.

I very much want/ need to return to my role after my 9 month maternity leave is up, I have stressed this so many times but now 2 permeant people have been hired, I don’t see how I’m going to fit back in?

I know I need to talk to my boss, I just feel very hurt tbh as it feels like they’re just getting shot of me and I find it a bit odd that both these people have been given different job titles to mine 🤔

You definitely need to talk to your boss, you're making all sorts of assumptions which may or may not be right - but you won't know for sure too then!

Also - join a union. Now. Before you speak to him.

Dont panic but do be prepared. Join a union. Look at pregnant then screwed.

Worry in 9 months tbh
you might not even want to go back but either way you have rights and the company would need to be very careful

I definitely need to speak to my boss. I should’ve spoken up when he said he’d hired 2 permanent members of staff but I was so shocked I just sort of went ‘oh.....okay’ I couldn’t find the words.

It’s the fact that there was no reassurance after he said it either and he must’ve known I’d be wondering as like I say, the original plan was just a one person, 9 month maternity cover. This is very different and there’s been no explanation or reassurance.

There definitely isn’t enough work for 3 people. I’d say 2 at a push. To be honest, I don’t even know what I’m now going to be doing for the next 3 months myself, yes training the new recruits but that really won’t take that long, maybe a month. So I could potentially have a 4-5 weeks of sitting about twiddling my thumbs, literally feeling redundant.

Then you need to talk to your boss. You can't expect him to think the same way as you, people don't.

Be aware that there's a difference in your rights if you take more than six months. Within six months, you are entited to return to your original role (although if there has been a general restructuring - not just because of your maternity - things might be slightly different). After six months, you are entitled to return to a role with equivalent pay and status.

Given that they're each going to do only half your role, and their job titles are different, perhaps they will each be taking on some other tasks, which may then expand on your return. If there's a need to expand the staffing across the company, this might be a good way of doing it gradually.

As a member uptrend said, join a union BEFORE you speak to your boss. If you already approach him/her, the union will class this as a pre-existing issue and you won't be eligible for representation from them. I know as I work for one.

*upthread

You are making all sorts of irrational assumptions. Why don't you just email him to clarify.