Colleague working on maternity leave

[samanth1989]

I am on maternity leave as is my colleague, we work for an insurance company. I've noticed that my colleague is often carrying out work duties, answering emails, sitting in on calls etc. Before anyone asks, this is outside the standard KIT days that everyone is entitled to. AIBU to fell annoyed at this as it sets a president and expectation for other members of the team who are currently on mat leave (now and in the future).

For context, my colleague is known to be very ambitious and competitive so I am assuming she is doing this to get ahead.

AIBU?

YABU

if you want to get ahead like her you can also put the effort in

Its not her fault you’re not as ambitious

😂

Take work emails off your phone while your on mat leave and for your own sake stop engaging in petty office nonsense. She can what she likes, more fool her.

Neither of you should be checking emails or paying attention to meetings unless on KIT days.

More fool her. Everyone will know that she's on ML and trying to hard. She will definitely be seen through.

Mind your own business.
She has every rught to arrange her own maternity leave with her employeer without needing your permission!

I’m assuming she hasn’t had the baby yet otherwise how would she have the time or the energy?

Not everyone becomes a zombie after having a baby

I didn't become a zombie, but nor was I willing to work for statutory mat pay!

Stop looking at your emails, OP. Let her crack on with it.

OK. I got a rather different impression from the recent thread about childless women having time off from work!

And the Irrelevant comment award goes to…

As others have said, you are not supposed to work while off on mat leave outside of kit days.

I think it says a lot about the culture of the work environment that it's not being stopped and in all honestly I would be reconsidering my future there. I certainly think she's foolish to be working for nothing.

That’s because many women (on here especially) like to feel like they’ve achieved something, it suits them for it to be ‘such hard work’ and ‘so tiring’

I could have easily worked after 2 weeks and I have had c-sections both times

Reasonable to be concerned if someone is working whilst technically not, regardless of whether or not it is holiday, days off, or maternity leave.

Unlikely but those who won't be out of office and not working could be hiding something such as fraud, or being bullied into doing so. Or be doing so to avoid a bad domestic situation.

Not sure you can do anything about it, even if it is one of those reasons.

YABU I did this from 3 months after giving birth. Needed the extra money as a young mum.

OP I do get why you would feel uneasy about this. I would too in your situation.

I take my work email off my phone if I'm going away for a week! Delete and relax.

"That’s because many women (on here especially) like to feel like they’ve achieved something, it suits them for it to be ‘such hard work’ and ‘so tiring’

I could have easily worked after 2 weeks and I have had c-sections both times"

Or alternatively, different women had different experiences than you did. 🤷‍♀️

OP You don't know the details of anyone else's maternity leave or KIT days - take your emails off your phone and let them crack on with whatever they want to.

For all you know she's changed her return date and is using KIT days earlier...

Never said they cant

I disagree with the assertion made that this other lady couldn’t have had her baby yet because otherwise how could she be working.

I don’t know many if any women who were so exhausted even a month after birth they’d not be able to work, they chose not to of course, but it wasn’t a case of ‘can’t’

Lol 😂 😂😂😂

Why do you care?

Just concentrate on making the most out of your maternity leave.

Why are you spending it worrying about what someone else is doing.

I’m pretty sure if she carrying out work duties that isn’t KIT days and is on SMP there a legal issue and maternity pay has to stop. The government will assume they are back at work.

Our company would put a massive no no to to this behaviour as I think the company can get a slap on the wrist.

And reading your emails.........

YABU as you are as bad as her by checking your emails. You are also setting a precedent. Either be on mat leave or work but checking emails is work so you can’t moan about her