Employer creating a temporary manager position only whilst I'm on maternity

KRRiley1990

I'm going on Maternity in four months, and I've been informed that my employer will not be covering my role. Instead, they are going to create a Manager position (there has never been one), and it will be available internally only, therefore the only other two people in my team can apply for it (we're all same band and level). They specifically have said they're creating the job from the opportunity of my maternity leave and by not replacing me.

It will temporary but when I return if they think the role is needed permanently they will do interviews etc for it, but I'll be at a big disadvantage as one of the other colleagues would have been doing it for a year already, and if they've been terrible at it the other colleague has been there for a year probably going above and beyond knowing he can apply for the permanent role when/if it comes up, too whilst I've been off. 

Is this discrimination? I'm not sure but it feels highly unfair. The temporary role will be done via informal chat/interview with our line manager and director. Our director has always favoured my colleague, and who I think has been telling my colleague about there being potential for a manager role, as she's been acting very different and senior the last 2-3 months. 

I'm also concerned that my colleague and I don't get a long with the person that I think has been set up for the managers role and that she has clearly stated her annoyance of other people who leave early to go pick their children up from school or who work from home more (the company has a flexible open WFH policy she just doesn't like it). 

DullGreyGuy

KRRiley1990 said:

 they are going to create a Manager position (there has never been one), and it will be available internally only, therefore the only other two people in my team can apply for it (we're all same band and level). They specifically have said they're creating the job from the opportunity of my maternity leave and by not replacing me. 

Why can only 2 people apply for it? Do you work in a 4 person company? 

An internal job role can normally be applied for by anyone in the company. Sure if you do something very niche those in the team already may have an advantage but a "manager" is normally more about managing the team rather than being an expert in the work. 

For example when I was in claims we had 20 people doing personal injury claims and one team manager who'd been promoted from within the team. They declared they were going to appoint a second team manager and there was a lot of speculation which of us would get it. To do PI claims as a technician you had to have 3 years claims experience and at least 18 months third party claims experience. I didnt want the job, know several that did apply, they appointed the manager from Sales & Service who'd never even seen a claims file let alone know how to negotiate settlements or calculate liabilities etc. 

When there is change it often triggers people to think. There clearly was a manager beforehand, even if you reported directly into the CEO/Owner, and it seems that change has triggered the thinking that someone in-between you guys and the existing manager would be best. The fact it's maternity leave thats caused the change doesn't make it discrimination. 

Hoenir

KRRiley1990 said:

 They specifically have said they're creating the job from the opportunity of my maternity leave and by not replacing me.

Your maternity leave provides an opportunity to restructure the organisation. May well be more planned than has been disclosed. There's nothing discriminatory in that. With your own employment rights are enshrined in law. The business carries on regardless. What maybe the case in 16 months time (? ) is highly subjective and any number of factors could change in that time frame.

Marcon

KRRiley1990 said:

I'm going on Maternity in four months, and I've been informed that my employer will not be covering my role. Instead, they are going to create a Manager position (there has never been one), and it will be available internally only, therefore the only other two people in my team can apply for it (we're all same band and level). They specifically have said they're creating the job from the opportunity of my maternity leave and by not replacing me.

It will temporary but when I return if they think the role is needed permanently they will do interviews etc for it, but I'll be at a big disadvantage as one of the other colleagues would have been doing it for a year already, and if they've been terrible at it the other colleague has been there for a year probably going above and beyond knowing he can apply for the permanent role when/if it comes up, too whilst I've been off. 

Is this discrimination? I'm not sure but it feels highly unfair. The temporary role will be done via informal chat/interview with our line manager and director. Our director has always favoured my colleague, and who I think has been telling my colleague about there being potential for a manager role, as she's been acting very different and senior the last 2-3 months. 

I'm also concerned that my colleague and I don't get a long with the person that I think has been set up for the managers role and that she has clearly stated her annoyance of other people who leave early to go pick their children up from school or who work from home more (the company has a flexible open WFH policy she just doesn't like it). 

You're going to be feeling anxious and vulnerable (it goes with the territory of any mum who is about to head off on maternity leave!), but there really isn't any point in over-thinking well before you have a clue how things will pan out longer term. You may decide not to return to work, or want to work part time, even if both of those things seem highly unlikely as of today.

Your employer has a business to run and is perfectly entitled to take the necessary steps to do so. That's not discrimination; it is commercial reality and commercial good sense. If the business is poorly run, there might not be an employer to return to when your maternity leave ends. 

Savvy_Sue

If you're worried, now would be the time to join a union, along with your also-anxious colleague.