I am in two minds as I am not sure about the advice your manager is giving you. If you are pg and on a new 12 month contract (if you did sign another one) why can't you change your mind about returning to work after your 14 weeks paid leave and have the remaing period of your contract on unpaid maternity leave and then return if they wish to provide you with a new contract? I understood that under the Federal Law you are entitled to 12 months unpaid leave from a job. But perhaps that is for a permanent position?
On the other hand I have had several friends return to work part time 6-9 months after giving birth and they have loved being in back in a work environment a couple of days a week, especially if they have partners/parents to care for the bub during their hours of work. It has provided great bonding for their partner and child and their partners are so much more understanding of the pressures of being a stay at home carer. It is totally a personal decision for you to make but working in Gov't should (IMO) make them more flexible to your needs even if you are not permanent and on contract. (Aren't they finding it difficult to fill jobs over there like they are here in Canberra?)
I hear that you are not so interested in this current position but are there other areas of the Dept you would be interested in working in down the track that you may be better able to access if you maintain an ongoing association with the Dept?
There may be no ideal solution for you, but I think you have some good options to explore. Accessing the paid maternity leave is a minimum IMO.
Good luck with it all Devon.
xx
ETA: I think your idea of working from home should also be explored. I have seen it be successfully carried out in my Dept, in fact we have had some of the best results from those that do it as the mums and dads are so committed and glad of the opportunity. Also takes pressure off them for child care/caring for sick children etc. The technology is so simple now and relatively inexpensive once they do OH&S assessment of your home set up.
Last edited by dusty; September 20th, 2008 at 02:24 PM.
: ETA
Despite working in Childcare, I'm not particularly pro-leaving child... but this sounds like a really good arrangement. 15 hours a week isn't really that much, and one day with dad and one with grandma sounds like a really loving spread of care. If it's only 5 mins from home then you'd still be seeing baby in the morning before you left, and when you got home. Or is it maybe an option to do a really early/late start so that baby is asleep for more of the time you're at work anyway?
You'll know the right thing to do. But to me, it sounds like a great arrangement.
Can your hubby work from home one day a week even if you don't return? Perhaps that way you will get a sanity break once a week and he will spend some time with his son .
Dusty - I think my manager's plan is to offer me a new 12 month contract starting in November, so it would go till November next year. I would have 14 weeks paid leave, then the rest of the contract I would be on unpaid maternity leave. I would need to return before the end of that contract. Although we're appointed from a pool here, which is advertised every 6 or 12 months, so I can just make sure I keep applying and stay in the pool, which would not guarantee me a job, but would give me a pretty good chance.
I'm not sure they'd be keen on letting DH work from home one day a week, he needs all the equipment at work. It would always be worth asking though, you never know what they might be prepared to accommodate.
I think if I do come back I will do one really long day, when bub is with DH, and then will ask if I could do perhaps another half day, and the rest at home. I really don't know how flexible they'll be, but it can't hurt to ask.
At this stage I'm going to keep my options open and see how DH and I feel when our baby is here. Have to see how my mum feels about it too.
Even on contract you should be able to negotiate having a full year off (I work from state govt, not contract but a lot of my staff were on contract), so between your boss and HR, that option should be given to you. You should call HR and check if this is the case, and if it is, then it's a fait accompli - your boss HAS to do it. I believe permanent employees have the option of taking the 2nd year off as well (I did) but as a contractor, you should be allowed a minimum one year unpaid.
Of course your boss would want you back asap, but don't be pressured into agreeing to anything you may regret. Find out what your rights are (for yourself, don't depend on anyone's second hand information) and then stick to your guns. As a contractor, life can be a bit more precarious, but there is a PSGA for a reason.
Just as background, I came back to work 4 days a week under the PSGA after having almost 2 years off when Charlie was born. I now have agreed to work full-time hours but on priviso that I work one day from home (though this is negotiable and I can make it more days if I wish). I also retained the right to return to part-time hours of my choice in the event working from home doesn't produce the kind of results my boss wants.
Either way I'm covered. And I made sure i was well-versed in all the inas and outs of the PGSA before I sat down with anyone to negotiate.
If you need to chat about it, I'll send you my work number, you can give me a bell.
Hi Devon
First thing I would say is definitely keep your options open as much as possible, but if you can take leave then do so for as long as you can .
I went back to work when DS was 8 weeks old out of financial necessity. I work from home though so didn't have to put him in daycare, thankfully. DH didn't earn enough to even cover a baby sitter so he is home too as SAHD. It's not an idea situation, but is the best we could arrange. One thing to consider in regards to working from home is that you can't really work full time and look after you baby - it's an either or thing.
That said, a little bit of work after your baby is 6 months (or older) might be good for you - and a great opportunity potentially for your DH and mum to spend time with the little one. It's very differnt to leave your baby with someone you know loves him/her than with a childcare worker (not that they're nasty and unloving or anything, but YKWIM).
Satya - Hope you guys can work something out
I would say don't commit to anything until bub is here. I was going to go back to work FT before I had DD, but now I don't want to work at all. I did go back p/t when DD was 4 and 1/2 months for financial reasons, then resigned and took time out with DH and DD (a saved for and well earned holiday), and have just started work again p/t. I am hating the thought of working now that I have spent so much time at home, but we need the extra income to keep afloat..
So to summarise my rambling , don't make any decisions now. You don't know how you will feel when bub is here. DH will still have time to bond with bub..
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, don't make any decisions now. You don't know how you will feel when bub is here. DH will still have time to bond with bub..
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