Senior role applications invited from whole team - but I go on mat leave in 3 weeks. Should I apply?

[blondieminx]

My manager has emailed the whole team, inviting applications for a new senior post frrom within the current team, in an area which I specialise in. However, the application deadline falls 3 weeks before I'm due to start my maternity leave (and I have had to take quite a bit of time off for extra antenatal appointments as my pregancy was classified as high risk early on).

Am I crazy to think about applying? I just suspect that they wouldn't consider my application seriously when they know I'm about to go out on leave. Cynically, I also suspect that they're looking to appoint a particular girl from the team and they're making a show of offering it out to everyone before I go on leave!

It is a job I'd really like to do but I'm not sure what the law is on this sort of thing, presumably they have to consider applications from people about to start/already on mat leave, but can cite "business need" to appoint someone who's able to start the role straight away?

I'd be grateful for any thoughts/experience/advice you can offer.

The law is that you can't be treated any less favourably because of your pregnancy and maternity leave. If you want the job you should go for it and your maternity leave should not be taken into account when making the decision.

It would be perfectly possible for your employer to appoint you on a permanent basis and someone else for maternity cover at the same time, for example.

Thanks Flowery, that's really helpful. You're always so knowledgeable and balanced and kind, thank you ever so much .

I might well do an application after all then, and put a note to that effect the application. Perhaps I shouldn't be a cynical minx and give it a shot and see what happens...

Yes you can still apply. Actually much to my surprise I was given an internal promotion when I was pregnant with dc1. I actually only applied because my line manager insisted I did and I was very surprised to be offered the job - especially as I then went on maternity leave three weeks after taking up the post! I'm sure my new staff were more than a bit but it all worked out fine in the end...

Thanks Nancy, that's encouraging. Did they appoint someone to cover your leave and just out of interest how long were you off and did you go back full time?

They got two of my new team to cover bits of my job between them. I was off for around 6 months - took the maximum which was allowed at the time (this was 12 years ago). I really was surprised to be offered the post because it wasn't just to fill a vacancy which had arisen due to someone else leaving it was due to a massive change in how our part of the company was doing its business and involved transferring staff into the company from various outside bodies. Tbh I don't think it was very good for the business that I was absent at that time and perhaps if it wasn't for not being able to discriminate because of my pregnancy they wouldn't have offered me the job...