annual pay rises + Maternity leave

[Beagle]

When I spoke to work in Spring regarding returning to work part time my boss informally mentioned there had been a 1% pay increase this year (bemoaning the small %). When I got my confirmation of return to work letter it had my old salary (pro rata) on it with no % increase. I queried this by email and a couple of weeks later was informed the rise was discretionary and not all staff had benefitted from it. However, yesterday some of my colleagues were sitting around complaining about inflation and the pathetic 1% pay rise. I said something about it being discretionery and they looked at me as if I was talking rubbish.

Admittedly I am slightly sensitive being back at work and trying to get used to balancing a job and feeling like I have to prove my family life is not impinging on my work, but I do have the sense I have been discriminated against - for frankly the sake of a couple of quid.

My boss is very defensive and unable to deal with confrontation. I don't know what to do but I think if there was an across the board payrise that they should have to abide by the law which according to CAB extends to all employees on maternity leave.

Any advice very gratefully appreciated.

[Lochie]

I would speak to your HR department and tell them your boss had mentioned a 1% payrise but that this has not been reflected in your pay recently. An HR team will be accutely aware of any discrimination that maybe implied from you being on maternity leave and not getting the rise as everyone else has (assuming everyone else has) and therefore will be quick to put out any fires by investigating. Though 1% is a small amount it sounds like you are a bit miffed on principle rather than anything else - and I totally understand and reckon you should stand up for yourself!

I work in HR and in our company pay rises this year were discretionary based on performance but everyone on mat leave got a rise as they hadn't performed badly due to their very absence from work. Same should apply to you.

If you don't have an HR dept and you need to speak to your boss I would just frame the question in practical terms i.e. you are now a mum, even though the 1% is a small amount you were counting on it to help pay for childcare etc, is there a problem with payroll as to why you haven't seen the rise. S/he can't get defensive about that.

God it makes me really cross! Though sounds less like discrimination and more like a poor line manager to me...

[Lochie]

deleted as duplicate

[2Loulou]

when pay is reviewed, all staff including female on ML should benefit too. I would say speak to HR, they must have a strong argument not to increase your salary by a minimal 1% in line with your colleagues

[womanofdulwich]

or you could say you would like to work 1% less for the same money. full time thats 2 days!!

[Moos]

Good practice is to give people on ML an average increase, ie average across the company. It is direct discrimination and therefore illegal not to consider you for a pay rise, but lots of companies do that - mine tried. If they say they considered you but didn't give you a raise you are entitled to ask why, and "because you were on ML" is also an unacceptable and discriminatory reason.

Companies rely on women being too nervous & guilty on return from ML or not knowing their rights, and lots of people get underpaid as a result.

Best of luck.