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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not told of an internal position on maternity leave.

129 replies

ABubbles · 27/12/2023 14:33

I’m on maternity leave. I work part time (3 days a week) in a good mid-level professional job. I work hard, always have, never had any concerns raised by seniors, happy service users etc.
I had a brief encounter with my senior the other day where I was informed that the team had been shuffled a bit after some of my colleagues at the grade above had left the job. In all this, an internal position for the grade above me became available. I am more than qualified for it after being at my current grade for the last 5 years, I am the most experienced member of the team at my current grade (all others have joined within the last year and have far less years experience).
Am I being unreasonable feeling pissed off and undervalued because I wasn’t informed there was an internal position available? I could have only found out about it if I was at work/ if I had logged on to my work system during maternity leave. None of my colleagues let me know a position was available and it resulted in my (very nice and well deserving but significantly less experienced) colleague getting the position. I would have liked to have had a chance to apply and I feel like it was hidden from me and I have been held back because I’m on maternity leave. Is that just the way the world works and it’s tough luck for us mums?
I feel really bothered by it. How hard is it to give me a call to let me know?

** I definitely have the level of experience required for the job, I have been waiting for a position to come available for years and it was on my goals discussed with my manager.

OP posts:
Aprilx · 27/12/2023 19:50

ABubbles · 27/12/2023 19:32

Thanks for all the responses to this post. I was not expecting quite so many. I think I will definitely look into this now because it’s clear that it isn’t quite right.
I feel let down. And most I also don’t feel very enthusiastic about going back to work now because I feel so undervalued.

Well there are quite a lot of misleading responses. Your line manager as an individual is not legally obliged to personally contact you about job vacancies / promotion opportunities. (Although I think your manager should have contacted you, but that is not the legal stance).

However your employer, as in the organisation, is legally obliged to have a mechanism in place to notify you of such opportunities, this might be a generic email or through ensuring you retain access to the internal job board whilst on leave.

As I say, I think your manager should have contacted you as a matter of good practice, not because they are legally obliged, but as to whether something is amiss here would really depend on what you agreed in terms of contact.

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 27/12/2023 19:50

They should have contacted you. Employees can't be expected to log on to their work laptop weekly just on the off-chance there is a job advertised. The OPs boss knew she wanted this promotion so there is absolutely no excuse. Its depressing how many people don't think it's the decent thing to do, even if it wasn't part of law /guidelines

YukoandHiro · 27/12/2023 19:51

"** I definitely have the level of experience required for the job, I have been waiting for a position to come available for years and it was on my goals discussed with my manager."

This is against the law. Call Pregnant then Screwed for advice on next steps.

Peekingovertheparapet · 27/12/2023 19:52

Please please do take this further, if you don’t then they’re getting away with illegal treatment. You had a right to be informed and to make a decision on whether to apply for yourself. That the successful candidate was male speaks volumes too.

something similar happened to me but they were very sneaky about it. They made an interim position that wasn’t advertised and awarded that to a colleague. Then when the role was advertised they had experience that I didn’t. All whilst I was on leave. I was so livid, but there wasn’t anything I could do. You can and should challenge this.

LangMayYerLumReek2024 · 27/12/2023 19:54

@Porridgeinblankies

Do read the link for more detail.

It doesn't matter whether it's line manager, HR or anyone else respresenting the employer or the method.

It's their responsibility to ensure the employee is informed.

Big or small.

Porridgeinblankies · 27/12/2023 19:54

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 27/12/2023 19:50

They should have contacted you. Employees can't be expected to log on to their work laptop weekly just on the off-chance there is a job advertised. The OPs boss knew she wanted this promotion so there is absolutely no excuse. Its depressing how many people don't think it's the decent thing to do, even if it wasn't part of law /guidelines

It's 2023, logging on to check a job board takes less than 5 minutes.
Also, in this case the opportunity arose in OP's team. But it could have been anywhere.
My organisation is great for family values, plenty of female senior leaders with kids and various working patterns. Quite a few promoted during mat leave and came back straight into their promotions with other teams.
Do you expect their line managers to sit there and curate a list of open promotions to send directly to them....?

coxesorangepippin · 27/12/2023 19:54

You absolutely cannot trust your work colleagues at all. They will not step up for you or reach out.

It's dog eat dog at work.

Even when you think they are your friends

Aprilx · 27/12/2023 19:55

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 27/12/2023 19:50

They should have contacted you. Employees can't be expected to log on to their work laptop weekly just on the off-chance there is a job advertised. The OPs boss knew she wanted this promotion so there is absolutely no excuse. Its depressing how many people don't think it's the decent thing to do, even if it wasn't part of law /guidelines

Employees can’t be expected to log onto their work laptop weekly on the off chance there is a job advertised

Of course they can! Same as with an employee not on maternity leave, if you don’t check the internal job board you might not see the vacancies. So long as OP had the same access to the job board as anybody else, it will be hard to argue discrimination.

Porridgeinblankies · 27/12/2023 19:57

LangMayYerLumReek2024 · 27/12/2023 19:54

@Porridgeinblankies

Do read the link for more detail.

It doesn't matter whether it's line manager, HR or anyone else respresenting the employer or the method.

It's their responsibility to ensure the employee is informed.

Big or small.

Yeah but that's not what @Greeneyegirl said. You replied to a PP's post asking her so that's why I tagged you.
FWIW the employer is definitely wrong for not telling OP about the re-org in this case. They're also wrong about the promotion if OP had no other way of finding out e.g from an internal job board.

OP I'd definitely take this further if I were you PP have suggested some good links but you need to be clear about the detail

LangMayYerLumReek2024 · 27/12/2023 19:58

@Aprilx

Of course they can! Same as with an employee not on maternity leave, if you don’t check the internal job board you might not see the vacancies. So long as OP had the same access to the job board as anybody else, it will be hard to argue discrimination

The law regards it differently.

Greeneyegirl · 27/12/2023 19:58

Porridgeinblankies · 27/12/2023 19:49

@LangMayYerLumReek2024@Greeneyegirl@Morrisons00
That doesn't say 'line manager'. It says 'employer or line manager'.
Nobody is personally obliged to email you (and in a major org this would be mad!) in mine and many other big orgs we still have access to the internal job board and can monitor. If we choose not to log in that's our call.

The re-organisation probably, they have missed that.

OP you monitored their external website. Was your access revoked while on mat leave?

Edited

I work for a major organisation, a major national law firm . The employer or line manager IS required to keep their employees on maternity leave informed of vacancies. Usually it is the line manager, as that is their job as, you know, line manager. It's not hard, if they were line managing OP correctly when she was in work then they should have a bit of free time now the OP is on mat leave. They could fill that once in a blue moon with an email informing OP of a vacancy.

LangMayYerLumReek2024 · 27/12/2023 19:58

@Porridgeinblankies you e list me in the tagging in that case.

Porridgeinblankies · 27/12/2023 19:58

Ah sorry OP the read all only loaded your first two for some reason!
Yes. If you could not log on to your laptop you have a clear case for discrimination.
I know you don't want to take it further but if you take a stand it will help the rest who come after you too.
Is this a small org?

LangMayYerLumReek2024 · 27/12/2023 19:59

LangMayYerLumReek2024 · 27/12/2023 19:58

@Porridgeinblankies you e list me in the tagging in that case.

Lost

wonkymonkey · 27/12/2023 20:01

The company legally has to tell you about relevant vacancies. I would 100% raise it with HR. Take a look at the ACAS web site which should help. Raise it in a reasonable manner (for your sake) but I wouldn’t let it go when the vacancies sound few and far between.

daisychain01 · 27/12/2023 20:02

I can't believe the amount of women on here who are quite happy to be discriminated against!

I am not intending to take this any further whether it’s discrimination or not. I just wanted some validation that I’m within my right to feel sht about it*

@ABubbles its entirely up to you, it's your career, but honestly what's the point of wanting validation for being pissed off for being discriminated against? It's your golden opportunity to get a well deserved promotion, more money for you and your family and additional seniority and status.

its direct discrimination and possibly your easiest change of calling them out on it, and also helping other women to be more appreciated by your employer.

Porridgeinblankies · 27/12/2023 20:05

Greeneyegirl · 27/12/2023 19:58

I work for a major organisation, a major national law firm . The employer or line manager IS required to keep their employees on maternity leave informed of vacancies. Usually it is the line manager, as that is their job as, you know, line manager. It's not hard, if they were line managing OP correctly when she was in work then they should have a bit of free time now the OP is on mat leave. They could fill that once in a blue moon with an email informing OP of a vacancy.

Show quote history

Well that may be your firm's policy but it certainly isn't mine. No idea why LM's should be free with an employee on mat leave. The work is still there and gets done by the cover which they still have to supervise. Sending updates is a secretarial not a managerial job.

But then again, maybe your national law firm doesn't have many women of childbearing age in the first place? Or many vacancies? We have both. One team I worked in had half off at the same time. We also have lots of vacancies updated every few days sometimes with short timelines. It would be a full-time job to have someone sit there and keep people on leave updated.

We've also had people go for promotions that were a complete change, say move from UK to the US or Asia. So clearly, bigger than erm national.

Appreciate this is not relevant to OP's scenario but just explaining why it doesn't matter who does it. As long as people have access to the same opportunities as other employees - job done.

Jk8 · 27/12/2023 20:11

I think alot of people are giving you false hope here. If you were still registered onto the company account that shows jobs then you had access without having to do any work & cant hold your co-workers responsible to contact you in your private time via your personal phone 'in case you qualified for a promotion'

Also depending on how long your leave was for & the date of the new job starting you wouldnt have been available for it (though they couldn't fire you either)

Maternity rights are in place to prevent job loss & unfair interference from work & home life NOT to ensure your career continues to rise when your not even around to work & at best would be abusing a set of laws designed to protect women who earn a living & at worst would be dismissed as time waste by any good business manager

Greengagesnfennel · 27/12/2023 20:12

I guess if they advertised it they can argue that you had the same information as others. But yanbu to be VERY disappointed in your line manager (and HR). They have let you down big time if you had clearly expressed a desire for this role, it was in your personal development plan as progression you wanted, and then neither contacted you about it.

Bearpawk · 27/12/2023 20:14

@Jk8 nope, maternity rights are to protect against DISCRIMINATION, not just job loss.

pavementmutation · 27/12/2023 20:14

If it is discrimination, it's maternity discrimination not direct discrimination. The tests are different.

And it would be unlawful not illegal.

Aprilx · 27/12/2023 20:14

LangMayYerLumReek2024 · 27/12/2023 19:58

@Aprilx

Of course they can! Same as with an employee not on maternity leave, if you don’t check the internal job board you might not see the vacancies. So long as OP had the same access to the job board as anybody else, it will be hard to argue discrimination

The law regards it differently.

No it really doesn’t.

There needs to be a mechanism in place to keep OP informed of internal opportunities. But that does not mean a manager has to constantly monitor the internal job board and personally contact the person on maternity leave. Can you imagine how much time that would take up for a manager with a medium to large size team working in a multinational? Employment law does not ever seek to inhibit the economic progress of an organisation and that surely would. What they need to do is provide the mechanism, such as a general email or access to the vacancy board. This will satisfy the legal obligations.

Boysnme · 27/12/2023 20:18

Aprilx · 27/12/2023 19:55

Employees can’t be expected to log onto their work laptop weekly on the off chance there is a job advertised

Of course they can! Same as with an employee not on maternity leave, if you don’t check the internal job board you might not see the vacancies. So long as OP had the same access to the job board as anybody else, it will be hard to argue discrimination.

Show quote history

Many employers revoke the access of an employee while they are on maternity leave. It’s not always possible to just log in.

Jk8 · 27/12/2023 20:18

Bearpawk · 27/12/2023 20:14

@Jk8 nope, maternity rights are to protect against DISCRIMINATION, not just job loss.

Discrimination DOESN'T include not being contacted in your private time via your personal contact choice about job reshuffling if its available to be viewed via a neutral platform (company site) & as the OP is most disappointed in her reasonably small team for not giving her - effectively - a heads up its 100% not the same as the boss or owner of the company actively hiding it from her

Atethehalloweenchocs · 27/12/2023 20:20

I would not expect to be told about a promotion if I was on leave of absence, extended sick leave or any other thing that took me out of work. So no, I dont think they have any responsibility to tell you.