Employer recruiting for same role for 10k more than I am paid.. thoughts?

[crumpette]

I'm currently on maternity leave (my second) on SMP and after going back from my first leave (when my DC1 died) my salary was magically reduced and it took months of wrangling to get it back to where it used to be.

I just happened to spot a job ad recruiting for my exact role (permanent not cover) and the salary is 10k more than my salary and has an additional bonus element which mine does not. But in actuality I do more work than what is stipulated in the ad.

Anyone know if this means I should technically be on an increased salary when I go back? I do wish to return and continue working for them and grow with them, because I like them really, but I have DC2 to support and I could easily get a job at twice my salary elsewhere.

Sorry to hear about DC1 and congrats on DC2.

What salary you 'should' be on is between you and your employer. They are not allowed to reduce it without your consent, they are not allowed to pay you less than minimum wage and they are not allowed to discriminate by paying a man doing the same or equivalent work more. But as long as they are not doing any of those things, everything else is up for negotiation, within any salary structure restrictions or other internal policies that may be in place.

So although this recruitment campaign doesn't mean they have to increase your salary, on the other hand if they are recruiting at a much higher salary for a similar job, and you can demonstrate that you could easily get a job at twice the salary, it sounds as though you are in a reasonably strong negotiating position.

Apply for the role

Thank you for replies. It took a lot of legally worded letters to get my salary back to where it used to be after my 1st maternity leave, there is definitely an element of 'let's pay her a lot less than we pay them because she dared to have babies'.

Thanks for info

It would indeed be hilarious if I applied for the job !

Why shouldn't you apply for the job?

Apply for the job!

APPLY!!!

Do you think so? I'm the kind of person who works really well, is more capable than my managers etc, but doesn't like ruffling feathers

However as I am due to tell them a return date from mat leave this week, I could perhaps mention I would like to be considered for any jobs that are currently available? and then apply anyway? can you apply for your own job? !

Apply!!!

TBH I can't imagine why you like them - they have tried to screw you over big time IMO. To illegally reduce your salary so you have to fight to have it restored when you have just lost a child...words fail me.

From that, it sounds as though they will walk all over you unless you are prepared to ruffle feathers, IYSWIM. Being assertive doesn't mean annoying people off left right and centre, it means you get what it's fair for you to have and hopefully people around you say "she deserves it".

I have come across it many times that the longer you stay at a company, the lower your salary is compared to new people coming in, because to attract new people they have to offer the market rate. Don't let them sideline you. Are you returning full time btw?

Re applying for your own job - I am not an expert but people are always being made to do it at redundancy time. And if it has more salary, a bonus and fewer responsibilities, it isn't your job, it's a different one!

Good luck

The same happened to me. i got back from mat leave to find they had advertised a role exactly the same as mine at 5k more than I was paid.

I queried it with my boss and apparently the salary ranges had changed while i was off, so got a 5k pay rise. my boss was fab though, your place sounds like a nightmare.

Why not just ask them outright ? Not in a confrontational fashion but just express a healthy interest in the fact that a job has been advertised with a higher salary that appears to match your own job description.

There are then a couple of ways it can go. They could describe how it is different to your own job, in which case you do have the option of applying for it, or if it is the same then they need to explain why the salary range is different.

When I was much younger and greener than I am now and worked for an American company that screwed everyone over on salary particularly women, I was asked to assist in interviewing a man to join our team at the same grade at myself, salary was discussed and it turned out he was being offered £10k more than myself. I really kick myself for not raising that point with HR as they were taking advantage of me, and I suppose not even recognising that otherwise why would I have been in the interview room.

I'm with Allarmbells - I can't fathom how you can like them after they cut your salary when your baby died

They sound awful and lacking in compassion as well as being a bit dodgy

Hi thanks for comments.

You know, seeing it written down by Allarmbells/LadyBiscuit, it has really struck me how horrible that was of them. I literally went home crying every day because nothing I tried worked. Meetings, etc etc, still no change to my salary. I had to point out that they had changed it to terms less favourable than I left on for maternity leave and send it to the director 3 times to get it back. There was also a lot of nastiness when I went back, really peculiar comments from people relating to losing DC1. I work so hard, I always outperform everyone, and I guess I am not at all assertive I just let them get away with it.

Hmm.. will have a think!

You sound like you are a true asset to a company, but they sound like a terrible company for you!

Apply for the jobs at twice you salary elsewhere!