AIBU to feel frustrated about manager's repeated maternity leave?

[ShesPregnantAgain]

My manager, let's call her Betty, has just announced her fifth pregnancy. I've enthusiastically congratulated her but I'm actually pissed off. She's barely been at work for the past 7 years. She gets pregnant, that makes her ill so she's off for most of her pregnancy, then 9 months on maternity leave, comes back and a few months later does it all again.

The job she used to do doesn't really exist any more. The company's moved on: all the people, systems and expectations are different. They get in maternity cover for her every time so someone gets trained up, actually does a good job, does a handover when she comes back and then leaves. It's so disruptive.

I know the company can't fire her for pregnancy-related sickness or for taking maternity leave per her statutory rights. They can't even performance manage her because she's never here long enough, or appoint one of her covers to do the job permanently. None of us can work for promotion to her level because that would discriminate against her. Her manager does promote people out sideways and upwards but she's just there, filling the role without actually doing anything. We all just get on without her.

I know that women, me included, benefit from these protections because of the crap women suffered in the past. I just think she's taking the piss.

In the scheme of a person’s career, spanning around 50 years (18-68), the pregnancy/ maternity years are not long.

Women’s careers already take a hit in terms of pay and promotions if they take maternity leave(s); it’s completely unreasonable that some of you would have women further disadvantaged by having them sacked during this time.

If the government want to keep women in the workforce, then it is down to them to find a way to manage this effectively without the employer suffering. It is not down to women to quit their jobs because their family planning is an inconvenience.

But it directly disadvantages other women in the workplace.

Most employers don’t dare be seen to be discriminating against pregnancy and maternity so they take the easier route of either not employing women or getting rid of non parents over parents.

Family life and work life should be separate but because of the way society works, those with children will always have other demands on their time.

There is no answer that avoids one section of society missing out. It isn’t anyone’s fault but it seems amazing in this day and age that there isn’t a way for people to balance family and work without one side missing out

That’s my point; ALL women are disadvantaged in the workplace compared to men: those who take maternity leave and those who do not.

So rather than having childless women turn on working mothers, maybe women should stand together to fight better terms in the workplace that acknowledge and accept our biological difference.

Correct. So do women who choose not to have children and so do all men. A lot of us pay into the NHS and never really need to use it. Wait 'til you hear about the people paying for public transport who drive everywhere...

What on earth was the point of your post?? Their children grow up and pay for your pension so relax. You'll get your money back.

They won't if they grow up with their mother's work ethic - they'll sit back and let someone else pay the bills!

If you get on without her it’s not really a problem is it?
It’s very rare for someone to have five children, even rarer to have all the maternity leaves at the same company, so it’s not worth changing the rules to stop this happening.

They would! When paternity leave increased some time ago, there were quite a few articles about how a man with several partners could end up on a permanent "holiday". Their word, not mine.
I suppose the man wouldn't have pregnancy sickness leave, though? Couvade's, maybe?
I see how you feel OP, but it's difficult as we want maternity rights, but then I also think it's unfair that a woman with cervical cancer, for example, can get sacked if she's out the office too long.

How does this affect you OP? Like really affect you?
it doesn't really appear that it has actually has much impact on your life yet your ego is hurt by it. I suggest you mind your own business and focus on your own career development and life

@RomeoRiversExcept she’s barely working is she? I can see why colleagues aren’t happy. The work needs reorganizing amongst staff who actually do work.

I think this is one of the negatives of parental leave (which I think is overall a societal good) that we are not allowed to discuss.

I do wonder why women like that don’t just leave? I guess they want the pay. My first serious job I worked with a woman like that who was open about not wanting to be at work so she had multiple maternity leaves. I think I only saw her for a few months in the four years I was there!

If her job doesn’t exist anymore she can be made redundant.

Clearly the fact that this can happen serves as a deterrent to hiring women of childbearing age - which is a huge problem.