Is it managers job to source maternity cover?

[Elephant768]

Manager still doesn’t have a definitive plan for my maternity cover…. I am due beginning of march. I told her yesterday I would like to take the end of Jan - mid February as annual leave until I start my maternity leave maybe mid- February but it seemed to startle her because she’s unsure of when the mat cover can start? She seems to have a very loose plan. When I spoke to her 5 weeks ago she said she reckons she would get someone in before Christmas to train (which is what I based my maternity plans on) but when I spoke to her yesterday, it wasn’t until then she told me that plan flopped and she’s now looking at someone else.

I really like her and she’s not a micro manager at all because she’s so laid back but I’m worried her lack of plans is going to make me look bad for throwing her into the deep end with training mat cover.

she has known about the pregnancy since I was ~ 9 weeks!

we get 30 days annual leave a year that runs from January and I found out that anything we don’t use before maternity leave rolls over into 2027 PLUS our normal yearly allowance so I thought I was quite sensible using up leave before maternity leave.

I asked HR about policies and they said it’s fine from their perspective but need to speak to my manager if she can arrange cover by the end of Jan.

on top of this, when did people stop commuting into London when they were pregnant? I’ll be 32-36 weeks throughout January and I’m not sure if it’s adding more salt to the wound to request to only go in 2 days a week in January…. We currently go in 3 days a week now. And that depends on how I feel at the time! I have to get an overground and then a tube…

Its a very hard decision because ultimately I want to be stress free in the month leading up to our baby and not worry about work, ideally I would also like to wfh as much as possible throughout January because, it’s dark, icy and I have about an 1hr 15 min commute.

I can definitely train this mat cover the phone and with documents and zoom - plus we have a team of 5 of us that all do the same thing that can help her too.

Well it's certainly not your job. All you need to do is be as clear as possible as early as possible about your intentions, within your employment rights, and then yes it's up to her. Good luck with it all x

It's definitely the company's job. That's if they actually intend to......

If there’s a team all doing the same thing then I don’t think you need to worry about them being left short for a month or two (what usually happens when some are on holiday?!) or training your mat cover. Stick to your guns if you can do so without burning the relationship

Well this is it! When on holiday it’s usually just cover delegated between everyone… I get that might be a bit much to ask of everyone for a years mat leave (if I go back) so my manager wants to employ a temp, which totally, I agree with but like you say, I think for a few weeks they would definitely be fine with splitting the coverage between them

While I admire your dedication, this is not your circus and not your monkeys!

Your responsibility here is to do your job to the best of your abilities while you are able, and to prioritise your wellbeing.

Definitely ask about the reasonable adjustment of only attending 2 days in your last trimester, your reasons are sensible & sounds like you can still be equally productive.

Then, in Jan, do a handover and go and enjoy your maternity leave & your baby!

I’ve never been in a role in which they have managed to actually secure maternity cover so usually the last weeks of pregnancy are hectic (specialist role; ceilings of max pay, temp contracts wouldn’t be attractive to many). Posting just to note that while managers can try - they don’t have to guarantee anything re handover or timeline. It’s one of the hardest things for so many women managing work and pregnancy - stepping away and the changes that happen in the meantime.

I also wonder - in terms of annual leave, my understanding is that the roll over of leave is protected on maternity. Could you go part time for Jan/feb? And keep some leave to return to work part time post Mat leave? (I’ve always been v glad to have banked leave, as it means less time unpaid on mat leave and gives me much more flexibility once baby is here). But v much know that’s a personal choice!

Apply for your leave so that your last day is clear.
Ask her if you’d rather you took sick leave or additional wfh if you feel unable to travel towards the end.
Is she aware that the baby might come early or you might end up stopping work unexpectedly? I was in hospital for a while before having my baby early and I met loads of women on the ward who had left their jobs unexpectedly some time between 24 and 34 weeks.
If all those things are clear, write good handover notes and leave her to it.

Editing to add: this isn’t to mean it’s your responsibility! It’s not. Sorry I got distracted by my youngest kid. Ultimately you have to do what you need. 2 days in sounds reasonable!

Be careful re sick leave late in pregnancy. In my workplace sick leave in late pregnancy can trigger maternity pay starting early (which if you were then to go over dates, can impact a lot on £ planning for return)

And put everything in writing Op, so it isn't a sudden "surprise"!

Yes I also thought what if the baby comes early when I spoke to her… I didn’t want to say it because it seemed so obvious and she has a few kids so assumed she would think that without prompting. This is my first child so yeah, no idea if baby will come early or not.

That’s what I thought, the company as a whole encourages you to take leave before your maternity kicks in, so I know I am well within my right I just feel bad that it’s quite last min for her, but equally she’s known for she’s that I’m pregnant

Massive eye roll.

Manager doesn’t have to approve your holiday dates , you don’t have a legal right to insist on particular dates. I have often found budget constraints mean no Mat leave cover arrives until two weeks before due date which is obviously nightmarish when baby arrives early.

unless there is a medical reason you are expected to go to work. Why on earth would you need to wfh? You are pregnant not terminally ill. Your pace may be slower but you make adjustments eg go to work an hour earlier to get quiet roads/train and then have a nice cup of tea or take an additional walk until work starts.

I commuted to London until 38 weeks with dc1 (1hour ten mins each way) and I had a 45min commute each way with dc2 which I did until 39 weeks with dc2. I was absolutely fine.

Same with 11 of my team while I worked there - many of them worked up to 40w. We variously commuted train and car and bus. One lady went into labour at work at 40 weeks. it was good for us to keep moving and active to help our bodies prepare for labour. Even when tired and waddling around!

I get fed up of women making such a massive drama about pregnancy when for the majority it is a normal condition and not a reason to freak about the slight possibly there will be ice on the pavements in January.

PS when dc2 was born in winter I was quite capable of walking on icy ground. If you feel unsteady get a hiking pole, they cost about £5.

It’s really not your problem if your manager doesn’t organise cover. Your manager and your team will just have to cope.

It's not your problem

Oh come on, there's women in sub saharan Africa and Asia birthing babies in mud huts with no medical support or pain relief - doesn't make it admirable or aspirational just because they push through discomfort. It's tragic if your life is so focused on being present and available at work, you can't fathom anyone not wanting to waste their precious time and life experiencing even one iota of unneccessary and avoidable discomfort for a job that could make you redundant with zero shits given. No one is rewarding your martyrdom at work - there isn't a special bonus for showing up at 40w tired and waddling around, and they won't be more inclined to keep you on in a headcount reduction as a result. You're a number and a salary at the end of the day no matter how senior you are. A lot of people in sr roles (including me) actually value hard working employees who aren't afraid to take time to prioritise their heath or personal life, because they will in turn create happy, motivated teams and can clearly argue for what they want.

There's ways to get exercise and stay active and healthy outside of a rush hour commute (like actual hobbies and activities) and frankly pregnancy is the one time anyone should prioritise their health and well being. I'm glad women are making a big deal out of pregnancy because guaranteed if men could get pregnant the world of work would look and feel entirely different as would mat leave provisions and pay. It's this tired patriarchal nonsense women have swallowed that hard work means long hours, forcing through discomfort and prioritising work like it's the pinnacle of life's achievements.

OP - you aren't weak or 'lesser than' for wanting a relaxed month before birth and not wanting to inconvenience yourself where it can be avoided. If you can work from home 2 days a week, most reasonable companies would allow you to wfh more frequently in pregnancy without needing medical certification. |t isn't your problem if your manager hasn't resource planned well enough in advance - she is getting paid to do exactly that, and you are entitled to take your annual leave and not lose it as a result.

It's the law in the last 4 weeks before the due date that you start maternity leave early, rather than be paid sick, so it's not an employer-specific policy.

Make sure your annual leave request is logged in the system so they can’t pretend they didn’t know!

I commuted into London until the day before I gave birth both times. But I was fine to do so as had uncomplicated pregnancies. I have managed women who’ve been pregnant and always just made clear I’m happy to work to support them with whatever helps them best. I had one member of my team who had terrible pelvic pain and spent most of her last three months wfh, for example.

Stop. Do not ask your manager, it is not your concern. Book your leave abd inform them of your planned maternity start date. Do not ask questions, just leave them to it.

I stopped commuting about 5 weeks before I went off, I worked from home. Mat cover started 6 weeks before I left.

Last time I had a 1 day handover so I think they learnt their lesson there!

Just write good handover notes and get your requests for leave and adjustments in now.

I wouldn't have put it quite as bluntly as this but I commuted until 39 weeks with both pregnancies, working over full time hours. The last couple of weeks of pregnancy are a little harder but I don't remember feeling a great deal different at say 35 weeks to what I did at 28. You might be pleasantly surprised. Having said that, your manager would be silly not to have a plan in place given the baby could obviously arrive early. I can't see how that's your responsibility in any way.

Something else to consider.

If you want to go off that early, it might be better to start your mat leave early instead.
when you come back you have to be back by at work (even if on holiday) I.e. finished mat leave before the 31st of jan to get the funded nursery hours hours for that term or you don’t get them till April

taking all the holiday at the end of the leave would mean you are back at work even though you don’t have to go in. It is the same for the company whichever way round you do it

I currently don’t plan on sending my child to nursery / pre-school until he’s about 3 so I don’t think that would affect me personally in this instance but totally understand the logic if I were to!