So how common is it for companies not to replace staff when they go on maternity leave?

[ceebee74]

Am due to go on maternity leave in a few months time and it appears that I might not be replaced - previously, my company pretty much automatically replaced staff on maternity leave so this is a bit of a shock tbh.

Also we are a very small department so losing one member of staff has quite a major impact so am feeling quite guilty about the amount of work my 2 colleagues will be expected to do for the 6-9 months that I am away for - surely it is too much to expect people to do their own job and then half of someone else's for that length of time?

What are other people's experiences?

I didn't get replaced. (How could they? Snurk). Seriously, times are pretty tough right now and your employer may not be able to afford it, and it tightens the belt without making other sacrifices.

I didn't get replaced (but its not the sort of job you can just get someone in for), and even though the other person who does the same thing went on mat leave 7 weeks after me, our boss coped whilst we were both off. I went back when DS was 4.5 months as I couldn't bear the thought of the work piling up any more.

Message withdrawn