Job hunters urged to consider maternity cover

Covering maternity leave could benefit people looking to get their foot in the door or gain experience, it is been claimed.

Graham Bird, Director of Interim Management at HR specialist Chiumento, told The Guardian that hiring someone to fill a temporary position while the permanent employee is on maternity leave can benefit everyone involved.

'The employee gets to look at the company and the job and the employer gets to take a long look at the quality and experience of the person taking the role,' he said.

Currently, mothers are entitled to a statutory maternity leave of 52 weeks, 39 weeks of which is paid at a basic level, leaving a substantial period of time for cover workers to make their mark on a company where otherwise they may not have been offered a position.

Mr Bird also noted that if the employee on leave does not return, the person covering their role will be in an advantageous position.