I'm really worried about this....should I be?

Hi Everyone,

I feel like I have no one to talk to about this and I feel mixed emotions :( I need your honest opinions on whether you think that I am justified in complaining to HR or whether you think that I might be over-reacting.

Well many years ago a lady that used to work for my Boss for 5 years fell pregnant and went on Maternity Leave - she postphoned her return and eventually resigned from the Company as she wanted to take care of her children. I was given her job (Full time permantent Employee) and love it! I have been working in this role for 2 years and then fell pregnant. Eveything is fine in that regard. Boss is really happy for me and everything is going well and then the bombshell... my co-worker comes to me looking really worried. She tells me that she has been emailed by the lady that previously held my the job and this Lady knows that I am pregnant and planning on taking Maternity Leave and she wants to come back and do her old job. So my co-worker has booked an appointment with my Boss for her so that she can "chat" to him about coming back. My co-worker told me this in secrecy as she was sworn not to mention anything by the Lady in question.

There are a couple of things I am peeved about:

Firstly, she has no right to barge in here, and ask for "her" job back. She quit! The job is mine! Regardless of whether I am going on Maternity Leave or not.

Secondly, she only wants to work part time. My role is full time. Even though I have discussed with my Boss and he agreed to let me come back 3 days a week upon my return to work, I am still entitled to have someone full time relieve me while I am gone. Am I right? Also, what concerns me the most is that if my Boss says she can start back with the Company and then she doesn't do a good enough job part time. When it comes time for me to come back he is going to deniy me the opportunity to work 3 days because in his opinion its not going to work out.

Its MY ROLE to trial 3 days of work - not hers to stuff up for me!

Thirdly, she went behind my back and has set up a meeting with MY Boss about MY role without even asking me if that's OK. What a snake. She could have had the decency to give me a call.

I feel like I have been backstabbed! And am really stressing that because of their background working together she is going to talk her way back into the role. She can't just waltz back in here demanding her job - she quit! :(

I feel like crying but I am too annoyed.

What should I do? Should I confront her? Should I talk to HR? The role is supposed to be advertised internally for an applicant - and now she has come into the picture. I'm not sure HR will be too impressed but what my Boss wants he usually gets :(

She is coming in today to speak with my Boss and I am worried about the outcome.

What are my rights? What can I do to prevent this person coming back?

So sorry if this doesn't make sense!

Sweetie try not to get too stressed. Legally the job is yours and she may well fill in for you while you are on mat leave, but she can not be appointed to your role while you are on mat leave as you get your job back when you return. So my advice is document what you know, and if possible can you speak to your boss? Let your boss know you defintiely want to come back to work!

Just typed a big post and lost it... argh

I would definitely be going to HR to have a chat. I would say I've got a few concerns over something thats just been bought to my attention. I'm worried that having someone fill in the position part time may jeopordise my ability to do so when I come back after maternity leave. You need to get them to understand that you're not just having a winge, you are genuinely concerned about the implications of whats happening.
Also I would just keep an eye on this co-worker of yours. It seems a little underhanded to me that she has set up this meeting for her friend and then tried to keep you on side by telling you the 'secret'. Perhaps she is trying to protect her butt from both angles, the problem is that it makes her seem like a pretty untrustworthy co-worker.
I don't think you can be faulted for discussing it with HR as long as its in a professional way. They'll understand why you're there.
Good luck hun, let us know how you go.

Wait and see what the outcome is, but you are entitled to your job back in the same capacity as when you went on leave. There isn't much to complain about to HR yet as and they do need to fill your role while you are on leave, you don't want to make waves as it could make it harder for you.

:yeahthat: Wot she said.

I would also add - you've had chats with your boss, have you confirmed anything in writing yet? Even drop an email to him to confirm your chats...

Sorry, I disagree with Ella. You have a right to go on Mat Leave and return on any conditions you and your boss agree to. But you have no right to control who does your job whilst you're away or the conditions they work under. If your boss agrees to her coming back part-time, you can't change that, and it's actually none of your business.

Also, I don't see that she has been underhanded or snaky. She's entitled to enquire about job opportunities available and apply. It's actually none of your business - and HR will likely tell you that. If HR and/or your boss know how to do their jobs, they won't even discuss her application/conditions or work with you. And to be honest, if I was in her position I wouldn't want it discussed with anyone either.

Sorry to be blunt, but I don't see that you have anything to worry about. It's your job, she can't take it from you. That's all you need to know.

I agree, you don't need to worry about this.
She resigned. The job is yours and you're entitled to the same job on completion of your maternity leave. Whatever happens in the mean time is their problem - you will be busy caring for your gorgeous little baby :)

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.

Hope it all works out.

Janie xxx

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.

There might be another way of looking at this. This lady has been home for a few years and maybe she isn't enjoying it as much as she thought or the kids are getting to kinder/school age and she is thinking about returning to the work force. She has heard about your news and thinks there is an opportunity to update her work skills so that any future employers won't dismiss her as being out of the work force for too long. As it was her job before it was yours and she knows the job it won't be as hard as learning a new job and so she can balance her family and working again more easily. She will be aware it is only for the term of your maternity leave and they will have to find you a position on your return. You won't be out of a job.

Putting the shoe on the other foot if this happens to you and after having your beautiful little boy you can't leave him and stay home for a few years and then decide you want to return to work and there was a short term opportunity in a job you loved and knew, where you knew you had been highly respected you would hope your former employer would be happy to have you back as long as everyone knew where they stood.

I don't think you have to worry about it.

Thanks for all the advice ladies and the support :)

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 ;)

UPDATE:

Well yesterday went OK...

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 :)

Thanks again everyone for you help and advice!

xox

I'm glad your happier about the situation, but all of us working mummies everytime we have maternity leave get a little concerned about our replacements.

For me I wonder why my employer would want me back, they normally get someone better than me (well that's how it looks anyway). But I landed on my feet the first time and they seem to want me back after this spate, so fingers crossed.