Episode 72 | Knock, Knock. Who’s There? Opportunity.

Question

Hey, Work Wives! This is Sophie from Baton Rouge.

I have a question regarding my boss being out on maternity leave. For context, a month ago, my boss went on maternity leave for six months as that's what the company offers. Six months is absolutely amazing, but at the same time, an extremely long time for me to almost completely take over. I'm only five months into this role and this company, so it's all new to me as well, since I'm still learning.

Looking down the road to when she returns, is it typical for the person who fills in during someone's leave to either get a bonus, raise, or promotion? I'm trying to gauge what's standard, as I'm only 24, so it's something I've never had to deal with at work, and I don't have any friends who have been in a similar situation.

I'm trying to get ahead of it now by keeping track of all my accomplishments while she's gone. I want to be able to frame it correctly when she returns that I would like some sort of compensation for doing two jobs for half a year, but I'm just not sure if this is even a standard thing that happens.

Any and all advice is appreciated! Thank you!

Summary

Your manager just left on maternity leave, and now you’re doing her job AND your job for the next six months.

Is this an opportunity for you to level up or is it just business as usual?

We’ll give you a hint: just because your manager’s pregnant doesn't mean you shouldn't take her job.

Got a question for Ask Your Work Wife?

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