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Original poster

WWYD? Can they pay my mat cover more than me?

42 replies

NightandViolets · 20/06/2022 12:58

Hoping for some advice please. Due to start mat leave for first baby over the Summer. Have been in my job for 5 years with no issues - I've worked my butt off for them! A few weeks ago the org started recruiting for my mat cover but they said they weren't getting great applicants (it's not a niche job but covers quite a wide remit of skills) and that they may have to pay more to find the right person. At that point I said in passing that I'd be a bit unhappy about someone coming in to get a lot more than me after I've been there 5 years, and they basically said they understood but 'needs must'.

A few weeks on they've not found anyone up to it after interviewing several candidates. They're going to ask an agency to try again but I've seen the job advertised at a good few grand more than I'm paid (and about 10 grand more than I got when I started). I had a look at my rights and understand that I can say I'm not happy but that they may feel valid in saying they have to offer more to recruit quicly/find someone good enough. OR I can ask for the pay to be matched when I come back but no guarantees they have to do that. The problem is is that I feel really frozen out of the recruitment process now and feel that they probably won't tell me about what salary they offer and/or may get arsey if I ask. I get on well with the people involved and don't want to rock the boat but I also don't want to get screwed over when things are about to get super expensive for me, or regret not saying somethin.

I understand how things work legally but I feel really upset about the ethics of it when I've worked so hard and was blocked from negotiating my salary when I got offered the job (I made the point that I'd had a recent pay rise in the role I had at the time and would now also have to pay more for travel, etc, but they were really firm about not going up the payscale, even a little). WWYD?

OP posts:
MiniatureHotdog · 20/06/2022 13:06

I don't think they obligated to discuss your cover and their salary with you at all. If you want to renegotiate your salary that's up to you. I'd have thought maternity covers are often paid more, as it's a fixed contract so could be harder to recruit.

MiniatureHotdog · 20/06/2022 13:07

You chose to take the job anyway when they wouldn't budge on salary. Doesn't mean potential replacements shouldn't hold out for more if that's what they want.

IncompleteSenten · 20/06/2022 13:10

Pay is often more if it's a short term contract.

godmum56 · 20/06/2022 13:10

I am not sure why you feel that you should have input into recruiting your mat leave replacement?

Mushroo · 20/06/2022 13:11

It’s likely to be higher as it will be a short term contract for the replacement.

if they’re asking someone to give up 2 year protection and have the hassle for looking for a new job after a year you’d expect higher compensation for that

Beercrispsandnuts · 20/06/2022 13:15

Of course you’re out of the recruitment process, this is not your role

they do not need to offer the same as you, a short term mat cover role is very different to a longer term role with job security.

if you wish to negotiate your pay do so, but the fact your cover earns more for a temp period is not relevant and you should not be involved in the recruitment process, I’m totally shocked you think that’s part of your remit.

myuterusistryingtokillme · 20/06/2022 13:17

Yes, it's quite common to have to pay more for someone on a fixed term contract

Oblomov22 · 20/06/2022 13:17

Your view of it all is really odd. Its normal. It's supply and demand. All you can do it negotiate when you get back or look for another job during your maternity leave.

Beercrispsandnuts · 20/06/2022 13:22

Also op please don’t ask what the temp cover is paid, that’s confidential. You’ve no right to know this anymore than you can ask about any other colleagues pay.

this is a short term contract, it is not attractive to most people, so usually companies have to pay a bit more for the uncertainty of it. To get anyone decent to give up an form of job security for this is a big ask and most people would prefer not to be cover unless they have no other choice. In a years time the person could be unemployed.

what you are paid with s long term job security is very different.

Original poster
NightandViolets · 20/06/2022 13:24

Ok. Quite surprised by the comments tbh - it is my role that they’re covering. And I have been involved in recruitment- sifted cvs and did the first interviews. I’m not expecting to be told the final figure they give someone successful, but I do have an issue with them offering a much higher salary in the ad.

OP posts:
justasking111 · 20/06/2022 13:25

I did agency work for a few years was paid a lot more as was the agency. Just relax and enjoy the baby

User76745333 · 20/06/2022 13:26

Of course, it's a short term contract and you would expect them to have to pay more. In any event there is no right to fair pay in the UK. The only right is to pay which isn't discriminatory. So if your mat cover was female its a non starter in terms of a claim anyway. You'd have to have a very inventive lawyer to find a way to plead it effectively.

luckylavender · 20/06/2022 13:28

NightandViolets · 20/06/2022 13:24

Ok. Quite surprised by the comments tbh - it is my role that they’re covering. And I have been involved in recruitment- sifted cvs and did the first interviews. I’m not expecting to be told the final figure they give someone successful, but I do have an issue with them offering a much higher salary in the ad.

Market forces currently

PlattyJoobz · 20/06/2022 13:29

Ask yourself this - how much more would you want to be paid to accept a role knowing you’d be job hunting again in a year?

PossiblyPertunia · 20/06/2022 13:30

It's the same everywhere. There are a lot of jobs and not a lot of people looking so they're having to pay more or provide better benefits. It's across the board and sucks but you shouldn't have input in to it. Once you're back from mat leave, can you try negotiate a better pay.

Yodaisawally · 20/06/2022 13:32

It's normal. Renegotiate your salary or it's time to look for a new role anyway. Moving in is the way to jump up salary brackets.

Original poster
NightandViolets · 20/06/2022 13:39

Ok. It’s an eye opener for me then - I’ve been involved in recruiting lots of mat cover roles in previous jobs and we’ve always offered the same salary as the woman they’re covering for, and the candidates accepted. Maybe the market has moved on, and I’m probably being extra sensitive because I’ve worked really hard and feel a bit weird anyway about handing over to someone, especially if they struggle to recruit and the new person isn’t great but still gets paid more. Iwork for a small org so I reckon there’d be other colleagues who’d feel a bit put out that a role at the same level was advertised so much higher than their own. I wanted to negotiate up when I was offered the job but they just wouldn’t budge and I was so desperate to leave where I was I agreed to it.

OP posts:
Shamoo · 20/06/2022 13:40

Agree with others OP, this is totally normally at any time given it’s a fixed term contract. But even more so at the moment because market forces are crazy and recruitment is a nightmare.

The consequence for you is you know that you could probably leave and get a better paid job elsewhere post Mat leave.

In terms of recruitment, in our place the person going on Mat leave would normally help with the early stages of recruitment as you describe, but not the later ones.

dreamscametrue · 20/06/2022 13:46

Markets moved on

Lowest unemployment for 50 years. It's name your price for certain roles and I know of people working as bar staff and pub chefs starting a job on a Monday and by Wednesday they've been poached for higher wages elsewhere

How long are you taking on ML? With a coming recession many may want job security too so don't want to accept short term contracts

Beercrispsandnuts · 20/06/2022 13:53

NightandViolets · 20/06/2022 13:39

Ok. It’s an eye opener for me then - I’ve been involved in recruiting lots of mat cover roles in previous jobs and we’ve always offered the same salary as the woman they’re covering for, and the candidates accepted. Maybe the market has moved on, and I’m probably being extra sensitive because I’ve worked really hard and feel a bit weird anyway about handing over to someone, especially if they struggle to recruit and the new person isn’t great but still gets paid more. Iwork for a small org so I reckon there’d be other colleagues who’d feel a bit put out that a role at the same level was advertised so much higher than their own. I wanted to negotiate up when I was offered the job but they just wouldn’t budge and I was so desperate to leave where I was I agreed to it.

But you said this was your first baby? So you can’t have recruited your own cover before . It’s difficult I accept as you are senior management (I assume as you have been recruiting staff ) but you would not recruit your replacement and it’s none of your business what others are paid, irs confidential for a reason, unless again you’re in a leadership or hr role.

it’s perfectly normal for someone to be paid more for a short term contract over permanent staff,

Ponderingwindow · 20/06/2022 14:05

Short-term contracts almost always come with much higher pay. I’m surprised they even tried offering the role at the same rate as most quality candidates won’t consider a short-term contract without an incentive

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 20/06/2022 14:12

Short term contracts have no security and people who work them often have gaps of several weeks between contracts when they're not getting paid. There are other downsides to contracting like lack of training and career progression. If I was job hunting and had the choice between a permanent job and a contract job then I would go permanent if they were the same salary. A contract job would need to pay more to be attractive and make up for the downsides.

Artwodeetoo · 20/06/2022 14:13

Yes they can, whether its fair or not is another matter. In many areas its an employees market at the moment and to many maternity cover jobs aren't desirable as they're only temporary.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 20/06/2022 14:14

If you want to be paid more then you can start job hunting while you're on maternity, or after you return from maternity if they pay you over the statutory maternity pay and require it to be paid back if you don't return.

Eek3under3 · 20/06/2022 14:15

I have just recruited my mat cover. She is a member of my team who will be stepping up whilst I’m off. She will be paid more than me. I’ve told my boss I’m expecting a payrise when they are announced next month…