Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Original poster

Maternity cover offered more ££

18 replies

Dueindecemberr · 03/09/2025 15:18

I’m going on mat leave in December. I already feel like a mug - a lady in my team is paid the same as me (well, £900 pa less), but she works FT and I am 0.8 so I earn significantly less for doing the same sort of job job PLUS managing an international team. Pay review time in July - I got an excellent review but poxy payrise and told not to bother challenging it due to the economic environment of the company. However she pushed for (and got, supported by me) a 20% payrise on getting a new contract just before this.

She is going to manage the team whilst I am away, and we have a junior resource to backfill some of her role.

It transpires she has been offered a one off bonus for doing this cover. Do I have a leg to stand on with complaining that I should be paid more/ can I challenge my pay with this in mind?

OP posts:
MrsPinkCock · 03/09/2025 16:00

Is the difference here just that she pushed for a higher pay rise, and you didn’t?

And the bonus is due to her effectively taking on additional responsibilities as well as her own?

In which case, I am not sure why you feel it’s actionable.

Original poster
Dueindecemberr · 03/09/2025 16:30

MrsPinkCock · 03/09/2025 16:00

Is the difference here just that she pushed for a higher pay rise, and you didn’t?

And the bonus is due to her effectively taking on additional responsibilities as well as her own?

In which case, I am not sure why you feel it’s actionable.

Maybe I didn’t phrase it correctly.

Why should she be paid more than me for doing my job? She is already paid the same for doing a lesser job, which in itself is ridiculous.

Her responsibilities will change. She will manage the team, but will offload some of her current role to another person.

I was told not to challenge my payrise by my boss. Perhaps I am just a better manager, in that I pushed for a bigger payrise for her and my boss didn’t for me.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dueindecemberr · 03/09/2025 16:31

Or maybe I’m just a complete mug and should have pushed for a bigger payrise.

OP posts:
Lafufufu · 03/09/2025 16:39

This is so muddled

You work 0.8 and make the same as her ...
so either
your pro rata salary would be higher...
Ot if you earn the same pro rated then you earn less because you work one day less
What's the issue?

Not clear why you advocated for her pay rise but not your own?

What do you actually want out of the situation?

You had the window and you missed it... now you are about to take presumably(?) a years mat leave - I'd focus on that and sort out your pay when you are back...

I have seen A LOT of people get screwed on mat leave irrespective of whether its right or legal i wouldnt risk it...

Complet · 03/09/2025 16:43

If the junior is only backfilling some of her role, then she must be taking on more responsibility and I would think the extra money for that period would be valid. I can’t see how she makes more money than you if you get paid slightly more than her and work fewer hours?

BoredZelda · 03/09/2025 16:48

Dueindecemberr · 03/09/2025 16:31

Or maybe I’m just a complete mug and should have pushed for a bigger payrise.

Yes, that’s about the size of it. This has nothing to do with what she earns, it’s about what you earn.

MeridaBrave · 03/09/2025 16:50

I don’t understand, you get the same £ but you only work 0.8. Surely that means you are paid more per day?

BilbaoBaggage · 03/09/2025 16:51

Can you clarify?
She earns £900/year less, but you only work 80%? In which case, your FT salary would be higher, surely? So she is getting a bonus for taking on more responsibility I.e. your job, as well as keeping some of her current position.

Unless I am completely misreading, this seems entirely reasonable.
Is she a better negotiator? To have achieved both a higher pay rise and a bonus suggests she is.
Unless you are in an organisation with specific published salaries for a role, people can earn more than their supervisor. Companies can benchmark across industry and pay what they think is appropriate.

AmIHumanOrAmIAYeti · 03/09/2025 16:52

She’s keeping some of her job plus all of yours. Hence the bonus. Struggling to understand the issue here.

Bloodyscarymary · 03/09/2025 16:54

If she’s covering her role plus your role with the help of one junior person then it does sound like she’s doing a more work than usual during your mat leave?

However, if she got a 20% pay rise and you didn’t then it shows that the company was offering pay rises so your manager does sound a bit shit in their advice!

I think if you had both asked and only she received a raise, then you could argue that you were potentially discriminated against because you were about to go on maternity leave. But because you didn’t ask it’s a lot less clear cut, perhaps if you had done the same as her you would have received one too and it’s nothing to do with mat leave.

People get paid differently for all sorts of totally legal non discriminatory reasons, eg previous experience/pay or being better negotiators/getting another offer that company matched. But it actually sounds like you earn more than her pro rata anyway?

If I was you I would focus on the next pay cycle, negotiating well to get paid what you are worth - don’t bring her into it just negotiate based on market rates, your own performance etc.

Mumofoneandone · 03/09/2025 17:04

If you belong to a union, contact them for advice and/or contact acas for advice. Sounds like pay rises could be linked to maternity.....

AmIHumanOrAmIAYeti · 03/09/2025 17:05

I think if you had both asked and only she received a raise, then you could argue that you were potentially discriminated against because you were about to go on maternity leave. But because you didn’t ask it’s a lot less clear cut, perhaps if you had done the same as her you would have received one too and it’s nothing to do with mat leave.

If mat leave not till Dec and pay discussions in June/July, it’s possible OP didn’t know she was pregnant, never mind the employer!

AmIHumanOrAmIAYeti · 03/09/2025 17:07

AS shows she hadn’t told her employer (for good reason) in early Aug. So that’s not an argument.

jonthebatiste · 03/09/2025 17:11

You’re paid more than her if she earns less than you for FT and you only do 80% Confused

Original poster
Dueindecemberr · 03/09/2025 17:18

BoredZelda · 03/09/2025 16:48

Yes, that’s about the size of it. This has nothing to do with what she earns, it’s about what you earn.

Show quote history

Yes and that’s why I’m asking if I should push for a payrise. Clearly I should.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dueindecemberr · 03/09/2025 17:19

jonthebatiste · 03/09/2025 17:11

You’re paid more than her if she earns less than you for FT and you only do 80% Confused

We have the same FT salary. On 0.8 I earn 20% less than her. And now she’s been offered even more for covering part of my role.

I think writing it out has helped me figure out what to do.

OP posts:
Lifejigsaw · 03/09/2025 21:03

Dueindecemberr · 03/09/2025 17:19

We have the same FT salary. On 0.8 I earn 20% less than her. And now she’s been offered even more for covering part of my role.

I think writing it out has helped me figure out what to do.

Edited
Show quote history

Well yes because you work less. She should earn more than you.

WickedElpheba · 03/09/2025 21:07

Dueindecemberr · 03/09/2025 17:19

We have the same FT salary. On 0.8 I earn 20% less than her. And now she’s been offered even more for covering part of my role.

I think writing it out has helped me figure out what to do.

Edited
Show quote history

I don't think you can say "even more" as she's on the same as you. You work part time so you earn less than her but your FT salary is the same.

I'm not sure about the bonus but sounds like she'll be doing more and maybe they're rewarding her for that rather than paying someone else to come in?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page