Advise pls - maternity cover advice (NOT from Parents to be view)

piddleypops

I'm looking for some advice if anyone can help me please.

I organise events at a university. A work colleague is due to go on maternity leave soon and rather than get maternity cover, i have been told as a full time member of staff, I also have to cover her job too (she's f/t) which involves the overseeing the finance for the whole department covering three major budgets. Aspects of my role are to be covered by a paid university student.

Although I am probably quite capable of doing this, I have had no official training and have had no direct experience of covering this in recent years, other than ordering the odd few bits for my events.

Can anyone advise whether they can do this, or would they need to arrange official maternity cover? I would not get paid any more either.

I just want to arm myself with the facts before I confront my boss. Unfortunately most of the stuff on the web is written from the Parents-to-be point of view.

Many thanks

asajj

Company wouldn't be obliged to hire anybody to cover her role. They can say easily that they gonna split it between you and someone else or just say that you will need to cover it. You might not get paid for it either. Similarly, many people would be given additional duties without extra pay. You can argue that you wouldn't be able to perform the role or that you haven't given training though.

[Deleted User]

How long have you been there? can you use the experience and then go off to another company in future and reap the rewards (that way eventually)


I can feel for you - when I was potential maternity cover myself earlier this year, they gave the senior customer service role I thought I was filling to the other colleague for extra money being more experienced within the company, while I couldn't believe it (I ended up with theirs in a way so I think they can get away with anything, that was why I kept seeing the job description change during the recruitment process and it didn't half lead to all kinds of awful assumptions being made)
I certainly think a rise in wage was demanded with something like being there 2+ years so with there being security from the colleague's prospective.

pmlindyloo

What does your contract say? Sometimes it says that you would be expected to doother work as asked for by the employer.

In this case when you are taking on a new role it is best to negotiate with your employer and ask for training etc. it would not be in their interest to have you take on the new role and mess it up!

This is the easiest solution but of course you do have the option to say no if there is no mention of doing other duties in your contract ? In effect your employer would be in breach of the contract. If you feel strongly about it seek some professional advice.