No maternity cover for job. Help!

[Inforapenny]

Hello,
Advice needed!
My colleague is going on mat leave in 3 weeks time. No cover has been discussed and there has been no attempt to recruit a mat cover person.
I'm now having a meeting with my boss about how I will cover her work!
I'm shocked but also worried as I don't have capacity.
I'm worried I'll fall behind and this won't look good.
My question is what do I say and do to cover my back?
It feels like no thought has been given to this and I feel for my colleague who is going on mat leave must feel pretty insignificant if her post hasn't been covered when she off.
Any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks

 

[DanaScully]

What additional remuneration is being offered for you covering the additional duties? Is she an equivalent grade to you?

If you're in a union I would speak to your rep for advice. If it were me and they were expecting me to cover another role with no changes to salary etc I'd be going down the grievance route.

 

[Inforapenny]

Thank you
Nothing additional has been offered it just expected I take on her work. We do exactly the same job but have our own products and customers to look after.
Sadly I'm not in a union
I feel defeated already!

 

[DanaScully]

Have you tried saying no or pushing back at all? You'll only be defeated if you lie down and accept it. If they're insistent in you taking on additional responsibilities, ultimately they need to increase your pay.

Also I'd recommend joining a union if they're recognised where you work. They can be so helpful in situations like this.

 

[Alexaj]

Don't smile weakly and nod and agree whatever you do! Give your boss a firm line and then time to find suitable cover. You don't want to accept the extra work, and 3/6 months down the line not be able to cope. All you'll hear is 'why didn't you tell me sooner?'

 

[judgejohndeed]

I would ask for a rep from HR to be present and what they say about this because it’s not reasonable to expect you to absorb a whole 1 FTE workload with no remuneration.

 

[Raininvain]

I'd be honest and tell them you dont have capacity and that they would be better off getting someone in to cover. They could get someone from an agency or employ just on a short term contract.

 

[Kim Mild]

I bet it's because they don't want to pay another wage

 

[Pinkblush]

If you fall behind it won't look good on them not you. You don't have to cover your back, they have to cover their back. The onus is on them to explain to you how you will cover two job roles under the same contracted hours.
Tell them you expect it reviewed after a month so you can discuss if its working or if you are struggling to manage.
Suggest sharing the person's duties out between more of you rather than just you.

The most important thing is do what you can without over stretching yourself of stressing yourself out. If they complain about you falling behind on tasks say its because I'm working the same hours but doing two jobs.

If its not manageable its not your responsiblity, its their problem to sort out a better way of covering the extra tasks.

 

[Lulu Goss]

Hello,
Advice needed!
My colleague is going on mat leave in 3 weeks time. No cover has been discussed and there has been no attempt to recruit a mat cover person.
I'm now having a meeting with my boss about how I will cover her work!
I'm shocked but also worried as I don't have capacity.
I'm worried I'll fall behind and this won't look good.
My question is what do I say and do to cover my back?
It feels like no thought has been given to this and I feel for my colleague who is going on mat leave must feel pretty insignificant if her post hasn't been covered when she off.
Any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks

I would email your manager to say you’ve thought about it and you don’t think you’ve got the capacity to take on her role. You could offer to train someone else up if there is another person who has time to take more on, but you won’t be able to do the work yourself as your days are already full as it is.

If they still expect you to do it, you at least have something in writing for later on if you struggle - rather than risking them pushing it back on you that you’re not performing.

 

[Meh]

This happened to me a few years ago. Our team of 8 had 3 on maternity and 1 off long term sick. They didn’t hire any maternity
cover. Myself and another girl had to pick up 3 FTEs in addition to our own full time roles. Was hell on earth.

We were incredibly vocal about it but our manager acted like a tit. Then got REALLY upset when he got hammered with such bad employee feedback in that years survey that a director stepped in. We got a 5% pay rise after another manager fought for it.

Have another colleague due to go off in 3 weeks on maternity and I’ve already laid out my “nope duck that x100%” stall and asked for their plan. Told him if he tries this again I’ll join the trade Union and approach HR.

Funnily enough it was all shifty and silent when I pointed out that only me and the other woman in the team had to pick those maternity leaves up. No male colleagues took on extra. Raging. Good luck to you. My advice: do NOT take it easily, if they push ask HR to note your concerns over workload and ask HR to review in a month.