Maternity Grievance and sick leave

[Mumof3kidss]

Unfortunately, whilst being on maternity leave my employer has sourced a new line manager without informing me, given that this was a role I was training and preparing for prior to maternity leave, I am most aggrieved and have raised the grievance with HR. During my ML I have received a lot of pressure from my manager to have keeping in touch days, something which I’ve not felt up to doing. a culmination of those two things have caused a lot of undue stress, and with my return to workday fast approaching I’m contemplating seeing my GP and taking some time off for the stress.

I just wondered if any of your lovely parents had any thoughts on the above and if you’ve been through anything similar? I’m feeling pretty bad about taking further time off.

Do you actually envisage going back?

I would love to go back, before maternity leave I loved my job! I purposefully only planned to take the 6 months off and not more than that, because I was keen to get back to working and progressing my career. That’s now been drastically delayed.

Honestly I've never been a fan of people taking sick leave because they don't like or don't want to return to a job. I think it gives the people genuinely suffering from stress a bad name and I think in certain industries it can give you a reputation with can follow you.
I get you're disappointed that they didn't inform you of the vacancy though. If it was me I'd have a frank discussion with the boss as to why/how that happened and decide then.

Sorry I think you’re not going about it the right way.

You were preparing for the role - it wasn’t yours yet. And they are allowed to hire someone as the work presumably needs to be done. It doesn’t need to be held vacant!

You were wrong for raising that as a grievance.

It would look a bit ridiculous for your to take stress leave over these quite normal situations.

I think you’d be better off having a conversation with your manager rather than putting in grievances and going off sick. Discuss your return to work, your career progression and about future opportunities for the path you want. You could mention that you would have wanted this role and why weren’t you informed, there may be a valid reason, and there may be further opportunities for you. If you want to progress your career you need to go about this the right way and be professional.

I’m not wrong for raising a grievance at all! What they have done is wrong. There are requirements and companies are required to notify you if there is a role that you would be suited to, even when on maternity leave. In fact, particularly when on maternity leave as you are to be treated as any other employee! To be clear I’m not taking stress leave because I don’t want to go back, I am stressed!! And it is a direct result from my employer.

There isn’t a valid reason. I have enquired. The person placed in the role has no relevant qualifications in the field and little to no experience. I have 19 years experience and a degree in the profession. My annual reviews inc set goals purposefully to progress me into the role.

Grievances are not a process to punish, it is a process to resolve mistakes or issues. There is nothing unprofessional about raising one.

OP, in order to "resolve mistakes or issues" satisfactorily, it might help you to be a bit less antagonistic. Other posters are offering valid opinions - you may not agree with them, but they are at least worth consideration.
Going off sick because you don't like the fact that someone else got a job that you quite fancied will not do you any favours at all and it certainly won't "resolve" your issues.
Maybe you should take some advice from an independent HR professional.

Honestly I would focus on your goals and your development plan. You’ve been working towards the role and goals reflect that, ask your line manager what the plan is for you, how you can achieve this and what else do you need to do. Personally I would be doing a KIT day to discuss this.

I have and they’ve advised its maternity discrimination hence why I raised the grievance.
I am not considering seeing my GP because “I don’t like the fact…”, I have valid concerns for my health.
Here’s some advice, don’t be so condescending.

What are the symptoms of your stress? What will resolve the stress do you think?

Is it realistic to notify pregnant women of any/ all slightly suitable possible roles while off! I'd think extrememly hard to do in large companies

You sound like hard work. Just take a
Longer mat leave if you want more time off. Ridiculous to have work based stress while not even there? Your role remains.

You are right you should be informed when off on ML ..

however .. I don’t see how you are stressed as a direct result of your job .. you haven’t been doing .

You can say no to kit days .

I feel like I am really missing something

Onset of insomnia, migraines and muscular strains. I’m not certain what will alleviate the stress, which is what I’m hoping HR can assist with.

It's potentially sex discrimination. Employers are obligated to keep you informed of vacancies while you are on maternity leave. Speak to ACAS.

No issue with you going off due to stress either. Ignore the uninfomed.

Employers are obligated to keep staff on maternity leave informed. Hardly difficult these days with so many ways of communicating!

Really of every possible role that could suit? Never heard or seen women on mat leave being sent constant new slightly relevant roles, before.

Interesting

You don't have a clue do you?!

The stress is coming from the knowledge that the OP has been passed over for promotion without a chance to compete because she was on maternity leave!

Do you think that's fair?!

HR doesn’t decide on grievances. Nor can we magically alleviate stress. Have you been referred to occ health?

Yes, really.

yes I’ve also been advised of that, however with maternity being a protected category there’s a lot more onus on the employer I believe.

Thank you for your support. It’s not something I take lightly, I enjoy work and am very career driven.

I imagine the stress will be better once you’ve returned as the fear of what might be and what you’ve got in your mind is likely worse than the reality.

I agree with you raising the grievance, although it’s not like they’ll sack the new manager but I’d be asking for a career development plan and opportunity to deputise formally in your jd. I’d also reassess whether I want to work somewhere that doesn’t adhere to the law - they are absolutely supposed you notify you of promotion opportunities being advertised.

I can’t see how being signed off will be helpful for you to achieve your end goal, unless you’re genuinely too ill to work. Ime, work stress sickness is a career killer. It shouldn’t be but it’s very looked down on and hard to come back from unless you have really supportive managers. As your manager doesn’t know you it’s unlikely they’ll feel the desire to support you. Sorry, iIt sucks but work can be shit.

HR doesn't decide on grievances but does advise the managers who do.

I don't think the OP was asking HR to "magically alleviate stress" either!

It’s correct that they should have let you know about the vacancy. However it’s done now and a person is in post so I’m unclear what will resolve your stress. You need to think about a resolution. HR are unlikely to be able to make it better unless you expect them to sack the person in post and reinterview for the role? Or is there a similar role you can apply for now?

I concur. Ideally all jobs should be shared to avoid any arguments.