I agree with Marcellus - it is your job, she cannot take over your job permanently. I actually had a similar situation happen when I went on maternity leave. A girl who had done my job previously was employed for my maternity leave. And you know what it actually ended up working brilliantly for me. She ended up not being able to perform the job to the level that I do. They ended up getting her to leave and employing someone else to fill in for me for the remainder of my leave. And as a result - they realised how good I am at what I do and they agreed to me coming back in a job share situation 3 days a week (previously they had told me there was no chance of this).
So don't automatically think that this is going to be a bad thing for you. It is YOUR job. They HAVE to give it back to you. BUT I agree with the fact that unfortunately you really have no say in who they employ to fill in for you.
I would make sure that both HR and your boss know that as of now, you fully intend to return to your job - not in a defensive way, but just to make sure they understand that this is your plan. I think that's as far as you need to go at this point in time. Also, I think that it would make sense for you to check-in at 3 months/6 months/9 months of leave just reconfirming your plans to return.
I see all the points that have been raised and there is some very good ones.
Persephone1 - I can see your point and I agree that at the end of the day I have no entitlement to know the person who is going to relieve me, however the job is not being advertised externally and it will never will be advertised externally to the public.
I work in a high secruity environment where you have to have special government clearance to work here. So she really shouldn't even know that an opportunity exists. My colleague has breached security by telling her about it. Therefore it's not her entitlement to apply for the job - let alone know that there is one to apply for! She knows this, I know this but she has still gone behind my back and behind the back of HR and booked herself in to "chat" about the role. She has used my good natured work colleague as a way in which in my opinion is sneaky!
Kazbah - My boss and I have both written and verbal agreements on my return to work. I have been told that he is happy to let me do 3 days per week providing the work is getting done to the same standard. I am just worried that if she starts my role at 3 days, doesn't like it and then stuffs it all up for my return then it will mean that my Boss has to re-neg and ask me to come back full time - which I don't particularly want to do. I love my job, up until now it was everything to me but as soon as I fell pregnant with my Son - my priorites have changed. As they do
It seems my Boss is very keen to get her back on board - which doesn't really suprise me. After they had their little chat I offered to walk her down to the Carpark and basically told her straight to her face what I thought of the situation. She admitted to me that she perhaps could have gone about it in a more straight forward manner. I think she was a little embarrassed about the whole situation and the way it unfolded. Not wanting her to leave on a bad note I basically told her that my problem was not with her - just with the way she handled the situation and said good luck.
When I got back upstairs I went into my Bosses office and basically told him of my concerns...
My Boss told me that IF she does get the job she will only be a Short Term Contractor and that once I come back she will be let go. I told him I am fine with that. I told him my concerns about if her performance is bad at the arranged 3 days per week will this effect my ability to come back 3 days a week and he said no. He said that her performace will not dictate what work hours I will be allowed to come back to. He said that he is happy to work with me on suitable hours when the time comes for me to come back to work. I was really pleased he said that as that was my main concern. I really didn't want him to say "well it didn't work for her so we're not willing to try it for you".
He also told me that if she doesn't hold up her end of the deal then she will be let go and replaced.
I feel more relaxed now about the whole situation....admittedly I was really worried about going on Maternity Leave for fear that she would somehow scheme to repalce me. Now that I know my Boss is on my side I feel better about my decision.
I want to enjoy the birth and staying at home with my Son. I don't want to be worried and waste the precious Mummy bonding time
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