Asking for a pay rise post-maternity

[LydiaFTM]

I'm due to return to work in March after taking 8 months off for my first child. I'm hoping to go down to 4 days a week - which will be 30 hours a week compared to 37 previously.

I am a qualified chartered accountant. I qualified in 2014 and have been working at my current work for 4 years. My current work is a law firm so lots of legal professionals, with me working in the finance team.

In the 4 years I've been there I have only had the standard annual pay increases that everyone gets as standard (usually 2%). As I am involved in the payroll, I know that the solicitors often get annual bigger pay increases, particularly as they reach a certain number of years past qualification.

My work really struggled to recruit maternity cover for me and the person they eventually recruited left after a couple of months with stress. I think it made my boss realise how much work I do.

I understand pay increases are based on performance (which obviously no one on here will know how well I perform) but I'm considering asking for a pay increase to my FTE when I negotiate the terms of my return to work and wondered whether this sounds reasonable, and if so how should I go about it?

I've never ever asked for a pay rise before and don't want to come across as cheeky!

I think the problem is you are asking for two things - a reduction in hours and a pay rise - will they need to employ someone else to cover your extra hours?

I agree to separating the 2 requests. (1) reduced hours at pro rata of full time pay.
(2) increased salary for role.

Your argument for (2) is totally independent of your request for (1).

But yes, you are justified to ask for one if you think you are underpaid. But don’t argue it on the grounds you have seen solicitors pay - it’s unprofessional to be using information that you have seen as part of your role for personal gain. And it’s a different role. Gather information on typical salaries for your role, x years after qualifying, and present that to them.