Pay Rise revoked due to impending mat leave?

[Italianshark]

Hi Ladies - I wonder if anyone has any knowledge on my entitlement here.

I work for a corporate global company and my previous manager went to do a 6-month secondment in another department. At which point myself and another manager applied to cover her role. They decided to split the role (kind of) whereby they gave me half the responsibilities and a pay rise, and the same to her (but she got the title). In which time, I became pregnant and am due to go on Mat Leave in October.

My previous manager is not returning, so the role I assumed would then become permanent for both myself and my colleague. However, rumour has it that the role is going solely permanent to my colleague and my roles will be dropped, along with my pay rise, because I am going on maternity leave.

Somehow I can't see how this is fair because the role itself was the step up from my job. They split the role because my colleague came from a different department and couldn't do all the tasks required.

Have I been played completely? Is this in some for discrimination towards me because I decided to have a baby?

Something doesn't feel right as if I wasn't going on maternity leave, the responsibilities would continue.

Any advice would be great before I email my managers and ask what their reasons are for this potential decision.

What is in your contract? Is this your role now or was it only ever a temporary thing?

@Racecardriver my role is permanent (credit analyst) and the secondment was a 6 month "acting up" agreement assisting the Credit Manager (who came from expenses and had no credit experience). My letter states "I write to confirm that you have accepted extra responsibilities within the controlling team with effect from 19/02 - 19/08".

This is fine, what I am concerned most about is that now the role I was doing this "extra responsibilities" for is vacant, why I am being dropped. The manager above has sung my praises the entire time saying I have proved myself within the team etc.

I do believe if I wasn't going on maternity leave, the extra responsibilities would have been incorporated into my permanent role and I would have been paid accordingly.

Its a case of my replacement will have to be taught my new responsibilities or my new manager can swallow all the responsibilities and be paid accordingly so that the role they have to recruit for isn't as complex (high paid).

I feel hard done by because im having a baby basically.

It may just be timing. Maybe they want to consolidate the roles back into one? I would approach with caution until you see what they are doing with it.

If it is vacant, presumably you can apply for it? I think you shouldn't have assumed the temporary arrangement would become permanent after the acting up period, it makes sense to recruit to the role fully, however you should clearly be able to apply along with your colleague.

@flowery that's the point, they aren't. So one would assume things would just fall permanent in how they are.

Perhaps I shouldn't have assumed the hardwork and training would have lead to anything 😂🤦🏻‍♀️! Except teaching an expenses manager the basics of a credit manager and then getting no credit for it.

I get life isn't fair but it's fecking annoying.

They aren't what? Allowing you to apply?

What have you actually been told yet, other than hearing rumours?

If nothing, I would suggest asking your manager for clarification on whether the current arrangement is being made permanent or the role is being recruited for on a full time basis, in which case can he/she outline the process by which you should apply for the role. That's a perfectly reasonable request given the temporary arrangement was supposed to end last week.

If your manager says the role is being recruited to permanently but you are not allowed to apply, you can raise a grievance due to discrimination.

However, rumour has it that the role is going solely permanent to my colleague and my roles will be dropped, along with my pay rise, because I am going on maternity leave.

Just ask! No point moaning about something which is only a rumour.

@flowery They aren't recruiting for it. My manager has only said to me that she is also waiting to hear what the future holds. It is she who the role was shared between, as she is still doing her old role as well as the new one (which is why they shared it in the first place because she had no experience and not enough time).

It is just rumoured, from someone in HR who said she believed that because of my maternity that my manager would take all responsibilities into one.

I guess all I can do is go back to my normal responsibilities beforehand as of today and get over it.

@titchy Just ask! No point moaning about something which is only a rumour.

I was asking for advice. My first thought was to outright ask but to ask off the back of a rumour was what I was seeking advice on.

Thank you

"I guess all I can do is go back to my normal responsibilities beforehand as of today and get over it."

No, you find out! If your own manager doesn't know what's happening and isn't being enough of a manager to find out for you, then ask her whom you should contact instead for clarity on what is happening to the role, and if you will not be sharing it, what the application process will be.