Maternity cover being paid more

[Incapinka]

Hi
I am currently on maternity leave. I have just discovered that the person who is covering my role is being paid a considerable amount more than what i was being paid for doing the same role. I am paid £40k and HE is being paid £47K.

The role is a manager position which focuses on 2 key areas. I admit that i have no formal qualifications or much experience in one area but have been learning. I also have qualifications and experience in the other. He is the opposite - experience in one and not the other.

Firstly can they do this? Secondly do i have any rights to having the same wage when i return? When i applied for the job i knew what the salary was going to be and know they struggled to get maternity cover however a £7k increase seems rather a lot

Thanks for reading

IP

Hi, this often happens. The person is on a short-term contract so has less job security.

Very common in my industry my maternity cover cost double what I was paid. As hairy said the increase is related to the short term nature not the sex of the employee. So yes they can do it and no you do not have the right salary on your return.

As others have said, this is very common and perfectly normal I'm afraid. You don't have the right to that salary on your return. It is to do with job security (you could cut your leave short at any time, so it's not even an X month contract), but also things like the need to jump straight in with little/less than normal training, etc

Okey dokey - thanks everyone. I thought i would ask as our HR Manager is known to do things not by the book. Really appreciate your advice...