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Original poster

No pay review on maternity leave

11 replies

gottomakeithappen · 15/07/2025 12:12

The company I work for has done its annual review and I have not had a letter, you get a letter even if you aren't getting any change.

I'm currently on maternity leave and interestingly was the only person I know at the company who didn't get an increase last year but now have been completely "missed" out of the process.

I'm aware that others on maternity leave have been told they need to return to work for their review to take place, so after their maternity as they have already challenged it.

What do I do? As this doesn't feel like the right process, I'm so conflicted and confused.

OP posts:
Gabby10 · 15/07/2025 12:18

I would contact your work place and find out what’s happened, or even HR if you can. I was on mat leave when they do our end of year review that always works out what/if you get a pay rise. Even though I had been off for 9 months of the year they automatically gave me the same level of pay rise.

prh47bridge · 15/07/2025 14:41

They cannot exclude you from an annual review just because you are on maternity leave. If any pay increase is related to performance, they must base their assessment on your work prior to going on maternity leave. If you get a pay rise whilst on maternity leave, your SMP may have to be recalculated. Delaying your annual review until you return to work is likely to be unlawful discrimination.

Ireallywantadoughnut36 · 15/07/2025 16:31

Yep this isn't right. They can't not include you because you're off on mat leave, and if they do it based on performance, likelihood is you were around for some of the year, so they just use that period to assess, they can't say being on mat leave us equivalent to "poor" performance.
I'd suggest a quick email to HR just in case it's an error, they might have missed you somehow. If it's not an error, you might need to raise a grievance and a simple quote from the equality act, Cab, acas etc will sort it out for you.

OneEagerOchrePanda · 15/07/2025 16:33

I had this both times I was on maternity. Raised the issue and was given some bullshit excuse that it just happened I hadn’t got one that year and that it was discretionary not guaranteed. Funny coincidence though!

amigafan2003 · 15/07/2025 17:01

What has your union rep advised?

AuntieLemonade · 15/07/2025 19:04

Join a union if you haven’t already. They can’t help you for 8-12 weeks after joining but should be able to once you return to work if it’s not sorted in the meantime.
meanwhile, HR and if they fob you off, ACAS and see if you have employment law support through your house insurance or bank…

Limehawkmoth · 15/07/2025 19:10

This isn’t right . Call maternity alliance or maternity action for legal advice

my company (even back in 1990s when I had my kids) included all maternity leavers in annual pay awards and would give a default “successful” personal contribution rating. Even That used to annoy me as I always got higher than that when working. But argument was if you weren’t actually working how could you be more than successful.

but, they’d have never have tried to get away with delaying the annual pay awards.

check your contract too about what it states re annual reviews. whether they gunarentee it for anyone or just it’s what they’ll try to do. Some companies don’t offer annual pay awards and expect individuals to negotiates pay awards themselves- that annoys me too, bloody hard to do if on maternity leave.

As other have said, join a union. Always. Don’t know you need it till too late. Even if you get this sorted without one. Still, join a union.

SueDunome · 15/07/2025 19:27

The Alabaster vs Barclays Bank court case ruling means that they will also need to recalculate your SMP and pay the back pay due on it, as if you had received the pay rise in your qualifying earnings period. This usually only affects the six weeks at 90% but, if you are lower paid, it could affect all your maternity pay.
Your employer may be being (illegally) sneaky to try and avoid having to pay you back pay. If it is a company wide pay increase, you are also entitled to it.

Horserider5678 · 15/07/2025 20:12

AuntieLemonade · 15/07/2025 19:04

Join a union if you haven’t already. They can’t help you for 8-12 weeks after joining but should be able to once you return to work if it’s not sorted in the meantime.
meanwhile, HR and if they fob you off, ACAS and see if you have employment law support through your house insurance or bank…

She doesn’t need to join a union, she can co tact ACAS as it’s unlawful discrimination!
Added to which companies are not automatically required to recognize trade unions in the UK but they may be legally obligated to do so under certain circumstances through a process called statutory recognition.

amigafan2003 · 16/07/2025 00:32

Horserider5678 · 15/07/2025 20:12

She doesn’t need to join a union, she can co tact ACAS as it’s unlawful discrimination!
Added to which companies are not automatically required to recognize trade unions in the UK but they may be legally obligated to do so under certain circumstances through a process called statutory recognition.

Show quote history

You company does not need to recognise'' a trade union for you to be able to join one and you are entitled to be accompanied to disciplinary/grievance hearings by a TU rep even if the company doesn't 'recognise' them.

'Recognition' only applies to collective bargaining.

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 16/07/2025 19:17

Your terms and conditions remain in place whilst on maternity. They are playing a dangerous game.

I'd write an email and ask them for the letter within 7 days.

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