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Original poster

On maternity but temporary promotion come up

39 replies

Gilmore93 · 21/12/2023 21:36

Hello!

So I am currently on maternity leave until next September. I have found out that a temporary contract is being advertised which would be a promotion. The temporary contract is 15 months (I’m not 100% on the circumstances but it could potentially become permanent) so would extend a further 6 months at least from me being back at work.
I have applied for this position before and missed out by a single point, and my manager informed me that even though I am on maternity, he would contact me if anything were to come up. He has not contacted me once, it is only through a friend in another department that I have found out about this.
I’m thinking of contacting him tomorrow as I am more than frustrated by this- but do I have a leg to stand on? My understanding is that I should be made aware of promotion opportunities, however this is a temporary contract so I don’t know if this changes things.

I hope this makes sense!?

OP posts:
WhereIsBebèsChambre · 21/12/2023 21:38

So you'd go back early to do this post?

ImFloatingInAMostPeculiarWay · 21/12/2023 21:41

There's a need for someone for a fixed amount of time, and you would not be available for over half of it.

It is shit you're on mat leave when this has come up, but as you probably can't start for 9 months, is it fair to go for it unless you plan to go back early.

Yes, I know you should be considered, and not penalised for being on maternity leave.

Wowzel · 21/12/2023 21:41

I don't think they would wait 9 months for a temporary contract to start. Would you come back to start it?

hellojelly · 21/12/2023 21:45

Your employer has to notify you of any internal promotion opportunities, by not doing so it can constitute sex discrimination. You also can't be treated any differently because you're on maternity leave, so if you got an interview they would have to treat you as if you weren't on leave and offer/decline you for the job in the same way they would (and for the same reasons) as if you weren't on leave. If successful they would have to ensure cover for the period of this job you'd be on maternity leave.

The only thing I'm not sure of is whether a temporary contract role would be seen as a promotion opportunity. Someone more knowledgeable will be along soon I'm sure, but I expect you should have been told about the role and given the option to apply/be treated as if you were not on maternity.

Original poster
Gilmore93 · 21/12/2023 22:05

No I wouldn’t end my maternity to start this. However realistically if they were to get somebody external in then realistically it would be a Feb/March start and so the majority of the contract would be when I am back.
Regardless I am mostly annoyed at having no contact whatsoever. Not being given the opportunity to even apply. Even an explanation as to why it wouldn’t work for me to do the role would almost suffice.
Before I left I had my annual review and exceeded expectations, like I say missed out on this by one point previously- and am the most senior and experienced person in the team who might apply by a number of years.
It’s just really disappointing, I feel completely dismissed and undervalued and I’m not really sure how to go about talking to my manager.

OP posts:
hellojelly · 21/12/2023 22:09

Is it a big company? I would go to HR first if possible, rather than your manager.

Original poster
Gilmore93 · 21/12/2023 22:16

hellojelly · 21/12/2023 22:09

Is it a big company? I would go to HR first if possible, rather than your manager.

Yes it is but I doubt I would get a response any time soon considering it is Christmas. And my knowledge of other people in the teams experience with HR is that they will side with the manager regardless.
I don’t want to blow anything out of proportion, but I don’t want to be a pushover either. Not the stress I wanted before Christmas 🤣

OP posts:
SadlyACupOfTeaDoesNotSolveEverything · 21/12/2023 22:19

Isn’t this a bit like applying to cover someone mat leave whilst on mat leave yourself and therefore unable to fulfil the need?

Original poster
Gilmore93 · 21/12/2023 22:25

The thing is if it was a permanent role and I applied and was successful they would have to find cover for those 7/8 months anyway so why should this realistically be any different?

OP posts:
JobMatch3000 · 21/12/2023 22:30

But if you have a permanent role now, why would you consider applying for a temporary position?

Original poster
Gilmore93 · 21/12/2023 22:36

JobMatch3000 · 21/12/2023 22:30

But if you have a permanent role now, why would you consider applying for a temporary position?

Sorry I should have been more clear, it would be a secondment.

OP posts:
Toomuch2019 · 22/12/2023 07:11

Gilmore93 · 21/12/2023 22:25

The thing is if it was a permanent role and I applied and was successful they would have to find cover for those 7/8 months anyway so why should this realistically be any different?

Edited

I mean this kindly, but it feels very much like you are clutching at straws here.

It's a completely different ask recruiting a temporary cover for 7/8 months when it's being replaced by a permanent person at the end, to recruiting a temporary cover that is only going to have someone do the role for that time again for the rest of the contract.

Yes, your manager should have told you, I'm cross for you they didn't. I imagine that it was because of the timing and business need to get someone in for the fixed term.

But I think unless you're prepared to end your maternity early to do it this probably just isn't the job and time for you. And pushing this now and causing issues with hr/your boss might cause you more problems in the long term than letting go.

I've been where you are. I know how hard it is to see things go by and that you've been forgotten about. But you will be back and can try the next time something comes up, hopefully permanent

SheilaFentiman · 22/12/2023 09:32

IANAL.

I agree you should have been told about it, but if it is a secondment rather than a “normal” promotion opportunity, it might not be covered by the same rules.

AlisonDonut · 22/12/2023 09:35

You can't do the 15 months so you want them to cover your job, and cover the first 3/4 of the other job as well? And then spend weeks training you just for you to go back to your old job a few weeks later.

I mean talk about cheeky fuckery.

hellojelly · 22/12/2023 10:02

AlisonDonut · 22/12/2023 09:35

You can't do the 15 months so you want them to cover your job, and cover the first 3/4 of the other job as well? And then spend weeks training you just for you to go back to your old job a few weeks later.

I mean talk about cheeky fuckery.

What OP wants is to be treated as she's entitled to be legally, which is to be told about internal promotion opportunities and be considered as if she wasn't on maternity leave, as is her right.

ConflictedCheetah · 22/12/2023 10:08

hellojelly · 22/12/2023 10:02

What OP wants is to be treated as she's entitled to be legally, which is to be told about internal promotion opportunities and be considered as if she wasn't on maternity leave, as is her right.

Show quote history

It's not that straightforward though. Our internal HR platform is available without being logged into the network and all jobs are advertised there. It's the responsibility of the woman on maternity leave to check for suitable opportunities. It's legal because they have the same access to view opportunities as anyone else. We don't have to specifically contact people on leave to let them know about suitable roles. So for the OP it very much depends on the wording of their policy and the access to internally, or externally, advertised vacancies.

CuriousGeorge80 · 22/12/2023 10:09

Very poor that your manager hasn’t reached out to you about it, regardless of the legal position. You are right to be annoyed. Do you normally have a good relationship?

But also realistically it would be daft to think you should get a role that you can’t fulfil most of because you are already on leave and won’t go back early for it. Rubbish timing for you, I think.

AlisonDonut · 22/12/2023 10:12

hellojelly · 22/12/2023 10:02

What OP wants is to be treated as she's entitled to be legally, which is to be told about internal promotion opportunities and be considered as if she wasn't on maternity leave, as is her right.

Show quote history

I am well aware of that. But she isn't even in a position to do the job.

Quitelikeit · 22/12/2023 10:22

I was coming along to say the same as a pp. internal vacancies are advertised on the intranet.

Id be surprised if managers contacted people on maternity leave to tell them about up and coming positions.

Nowhere in your job description does it say as a manager you need to do it. for the majority of places anyway. There might be the odd exception

ImFloatingInAMostPeculiarWay · 22/12/2023 10:35

Gilmore93 · 21/12/2023 22:16

Yes it is but I doubt I would get a response any time soon considering it is Christmas. And my knowledge of other people in the teams experience with HR is that they will side with the manager regardless.
I don’t want to blow anything out of proportion, but I don’t want to be a pushover either. Not the stress I wanted before Christmas 🤣

Show quote history

What stress?

Its a temporary position, you wont be there for over half of it - its simply not feasible for you to do it.

LimeCheesecake · 22/12/2023 10:40

Shared leave? Could your DP/H take over your leave from February so you could return early to do this role full time?

seems like the perfect way to sort this. (you don’t mention being a single parent so presume this is an option).

MariaVT65 · 22/12/2023 10:48

ConflictedCheetah · 22/12/2023 10:08

It's not that straightforward though. Our internal HR platform is available without being logged into the network and all jobs are advertised there. It's the responsibility of the woman on maternity leave to check for suitable opportunities. It's legal because they have the same access to view opportunities as anyone else. We don't have to specifically contact people on leave to let them know about suitable roles. So for the OP it very much depends on the wording of their policy and the access to internally, or externally, advertised vacancies.

Show quote history

Yes this is an interesting one as I was also thinking the same.

Regardless of whether this is a promotion for your particular role, it is a secondment and sounds like a normal internal job vacancy to me. In which case, it would be available to see by searching in your internal work portal as normal. I have worked at 2 very large companies and have never heard of anyone on mat leave being contacted to let them know about new job vacancies. Just as when I’m at work, no one informs me of them. I go onto the portal to look at the latest job vacancies. I’d be interested to hear if others have different experiences!

Original poster
Gilmore93 · 22/12/2023 10:48

AlisonDonut · 22/12/2023 09:35

You can't do the 15 months so you want them to cover your job, and cover the first 3/4 of the other job as well? And then spend weeks training you just for you to go back to your old job a few weeks later.

I mean talk about cheeky fuckery.

Not really the point is it? I’m not actually expecting anything, I’m probably not going to do anything. As per ACAS and what my manager had said himself before I left, I would be told of any vacancies so I don’t see how it’s cheeky to be annoyed? There is actually another permanent vacancy going in the team (not a higher level but a different role) and I haven’t been informed of that either, that’s only when I’ve been snooping.

I cannot access the intranet from home, so would not have been able to see this until posted externally.

OP posts:
MariaVT65 · 22/12/2023 10:51

Gilmore93 · 22/12/2023 10:48

Not really the point is it? I’m not actually expecting anything, I’m probably not going to do anything. As per ACAS and what my manager had said himself before I left, I would be told of any vacancies so I don’t see how it’s cheeky to be annoyed? There is actually another permanent vacancy going in the team (not a higher level but a different role) and I haven’t been informed of that either, that’s only when I’ve been snooping.

I cannot access the intranet from home, so would not have been able to see this until posted externally.

Show quote history

If you can’t access the intranet at home then something should have been set up/ flagged earlier for you to view all available and new job vacancies, not just this one? In which case, do raise it with HR.

I think companies in general are quite poor at knowing what to do with maternity contact.

Original poster
Gilmore93 · 22/12/2023 10:52

Anyway realistically I’m not going to cause any fuss with this, I am
not one for confrontation. I was just interested to know what others thoughts were. So thanks to everyone who has voiced them in a polite manner 🙂

OP posts: