Talk of career progression has ceased since I announced my pregnancy. What should I do?

I’ve been employed by the same company for a decade. I work in sales and sell a major portion of the revenue every year, so they’re dependent on me staying in sales although I have bigger aspirations.

There were conversations last year about career progression, suggestions I would receive training and be involved in a pilot programme.

This was supposed to be overseen by a manager who has since left.

After I announced my pregnancy, any forward momentum with my career development ceased.

Your work questions answered: I was humiliated and verbally abused by my manager, what rights do I have?

Your work questions answered: My employee has changed hours without permission, what can I do?

My company is clamping down on working from home. Can I reject this change?

Although it’s annoyed me, I feel like it’s unreasonable for me to ask them to revisit and reinstate a new plan, seeing as I’m going to be on maternity leave for a year. I know I’m entitled to that, but what’s the common-sense approach?

There is a common misconception that maternity leave acts as a “pause button” on a career, but the reader should seek to have a plan in place to advance her progression before her return, according to work experts.

Asking for clarity would not be “unreasonable”, but “smart, strategic and professionally necessary”, according to Sarah Geraghty, head of the careers division at The Communications Clinic.

The absence of a high-performing employee, one responsible for a significant portion of sales revenue, would be a “significant business event”, she says.

“You’ve spent 10 years becoming a cornerstone of this business. You’ve obviously gotten to this point because you have a specific set of critical leadership skills.”

Geraghty says the reader should use those same skills to secure a “clear understanding of what happens when they return”, saying her career path “shouldn’t disappear because you’re having a baby”.

Noting that a manager left at the same time, she says it is possible the company has not “cancelled” the reader’s progression, but may instead be distracted.

However, it is up to the reader to “restart” the conversation, Geraghty adds, saying the employer could also be making a “misguided assumption” that the reader wishes to slow down.

The law is also “firmly” on the reader’s side, she says, noting employees cannot be excluded from promotions or training because they are pregnant or on leave.

Although the reader feels it might be “unreasonable” to ask for a plan now, given she is about to take maternity leave, Geraghty says “the opposite is true”.

“You aren’t asking for a favour,” she says, adding: “Their biggest risk isn’t your year of leave. It’s the risk their top salesperson won’t return because she doesn’t see a future there. Reinstating your plan is a retention strategy. It gives you a clear reason to come back.”

Michelle Halloran, independent HR consultant and workplace investigator, of Halloran HR Resolutions, agrees the reader should raise the plans with management, and explain she is anxious to progress them.

She advises securing a commitment to progress a development plan before going on maternity leave, ideally in writing.

Like Geraghty, she disagrees that such an ask would be “unreasonable”, saying an employer putting progression plans on hold due to a pregnancy would be “unfair”.

“They should be going ahead with the plans that were put in place regardless of her pregnancy,” she says, adding that employers must engage with pregnant employees “as they would with any member of staff”.

“The only thing that might change is the timing. For example, if they planned to do something in six months’ time, at which point she’s going to be on maternity leave, then obviously that’s got to be deferred until she comes back,” she says.

However, it would be unfair and inappropriate to stop engaging in discussions on an employee’s career development due to a pregnancy, Halloran says.

“They should have the same performance reviews, the same evaluations and the same discussions about progression as any other employee. If plans have already commenced, they should continue. The only thing that might change is the time frame.”

If you have work-related questions, from how to deal with burnout to running your own business, The Irish Times Work Q&A column is here to help. You can use the form below to submit your question. Please limit your submissions to 400 words or less and please include a phone number. Your name and contact details will be confidential and only be used for verification purposes. Any details about your employer will also be anonymised.