I have been in my current job now for over 3 years and I plan on leaving work on the 7th April 06.
First off I was going to take 12 months mat leave (I dont get any pay) and then I changed my mind to leave my job in April and not return.
In my job I cannnot return to it after 12 months p/t only f/t and I dont want to work f/t I want to stay at home with bubs and only work if I have to and then only be p/t.
But then I was thinking that maybe I should take out the 12 months mat leave just to cover my self if I need to return to work f/t afther the 12 months.
I have told my boss that I will just leave as the last girl who was pregnant sorta stuffed them around abit and I dont want to do that.
Also if I was not pregnant I would be looking for another job as I have been bored here for about the past year.
Hmmm.. I would probably be leaving my options open and saying I'm coming back. Who knows what might happen in the future to change your mind? Chances are they will get someone else to cover your position while you are on leave, so if you decide not to come back after all that person could just stay on.
If you work full time, how come you don't get some paid maternity leave? I thought it was the law??
I will talk to DH tonight and then tell my boss tomorrow. That does make
sense to leave the option open if I need to return.
I work in a small private run company so there is no chance of getting paid mat leave. I have just been bored here for ages that is another reason why I was going to leave for good.
I don't think you'll be stuffing your company around by taking the 12 months and then deciding while on maternity leave whether you want to return or not.
At this stage, no one should expect you to make a decision about what you may or may not do in 12 months time. As long as you give your company at least a months notice prior to your intended return that you won't be coming back, they can't expect anything more than that. If you find another job in the meantime, you're not doing anything you wouldn't be doing even if you were still working full-time.
I would definitely be taking the 12 months if I were in your position.
I was in a similar position - if I went back to work after 12 months I would have to do f/t, they couldn't offer me a p/t position. I took the 12 months leave to keep my options open - I was being cautious, just incase of financial catastrophes, or something happening to DH's job etc. As it happened, I resigned 9 months into my mat leave as by then I knew I didn't want to go back.
I think you are well within your rights to do this - like sushee said, no one should expect you to know what you want do at this stage. It doesn't hurt to keep your options open.
Well I am just updating you since having a talk to my boss a minute ago.
He was saying that it is harder to get someone in for a 12 month contract and that he will have to pay casual wages.
He also asked if I would be able to cope coming back to work f/t with a baby.
Now I am really confused as I think he is trying to get me to leave otherwise it will be hard to replace me for 12 months ](*,).
But I dont want to come back f/t in 12 months I want to only work p/t if at all. But there is always a but, what if I did leave and we needed the money? what if I decided that I did not want to come back after 12 months I would feel really bad as I am too nice.
I dont want to stuff my employer around either. He said to think about it again lol
Don't let him bully you into doing what he wants you to do and by putting he guilt trip on you.He'll manage without you.You do whats right for YOU. If you want to take the 12 months maternity then do it, I would. Its not stuffing him around, its YOUR RIGHT!
I agree too. I don't think it should be you who has to bear the burden of guilt as to whether they will have to replace you with a casual employee or not. I don't understand him anyway, as many people are employed on 12 month fixed term contracts to cover maternity leave. This is certainly not the big issue he's making it out to be.
Furthermore, it's very wrong and very unprofessional for him to expect you to make a decision about whether you intend to return full-time at this stage, and is certainly over-stepping his boundaries by questioning if you'd be able to cope.
He is legally obliged to hold on to your job for you. You are legally obliged to give him 4 weeks notice if you don't return. Anything outside of this is politics that, frankly, he shouldn't be playing. Your rights are set in stone in legislation. Remember this, as it is there to protect your rights, the rights of your family as well as those of your emploer.
I personally would be even more resolute in taking the 12 months you are entitled to.
I still dont know what to do. I dont think I have to get back to him straight away.
I plan on talking to hubbie and mum over the weekend and discussing it with them.
I am just so mad that he tried to guilt trip me out of it. I should be able to still have a job to come back to in 12 months and I have no idea what the future holds and what it will be like in 12 months, which is what I told him.
Sometimes I just wish I could see into the future lol
Bec,
My employer did this to me, you don't know what circumstances that may come up whilst on leave. I agree tell him nothing but that you have intentions of returning. My employer rang me constantly from the time Eliza was 10 weeks old wanting to know if I wanted to return earlier..they have no right, your right as a full timer is maternity leave and whether he has to pay someone more, that isn't your fault..even thou it sounds like he could advertise for a maternity leave position and train them before you leave.
Leave the door open, and tell them nothing except you are having 12 months mat leave, and if you don't want to return...write a letter of resignment just like me!!
Bec
I am 23 weeks pregnant and I plan on April 7 being my last day.
I also cant come back here p/t that is why I was going to leave in the first place, but the thought that I have no idea what the future holds in the next 12 months is a concern of mine, that is why I wanted the option to come back f/t.
Lucy I have read what you wrote on WSA just have to reply to it.
Did the same thing happen to you?
I am still in 2 minds as I dont like being treated like this so it is just easier to leave, but then I might be out on my bum. If I do take the 12 months, well that is a normal thing to do?
I dont think I have that much time to decide? and I think I would only have to give 2 weeks notice not 4.
Bec, before I had Olivia and Charlie I worked as a manager within a call centre, so I had to really be on top of all current HR legislation in relation to mat leave, as the majority of our employees where women of baby making age!
Despite my company being percieved as "family friendly" when I was pregnant with my first pregnancy, my boss tried to do exactly what your boss is doing, and it made me SO mad, cos like you I felt that maybe I should just leave to keep everyone sweet. In the end, I didn't leave, and kept my options open, and I am so glad I did, because I then ended up moving to Darwin with the company, something I would never have predicted, and it was a great opportunity for me and DH personally and work wise that we never ever imagined ourselves doing!
(I have since left, but that is two babies later!)
The majority of women I know all feel similar to you: that the new stage of having a baby is so exciting that the thought of simply leaving is appealing, and easier. But the majority of women I know/have worked for me, have taken the 12 months mat leave and then considered their options when their babies are around 10 months old. The parental leave legilsation is designed to allow you to do this, and I persoanlly would take advantage of it!
From my experience with Olivia and Charlie, the way you feel about your baby and work, being a FT Mum, working PT etc etc etc really changes & varies over the months, hence I think it is best to keep your options open, and then review when your mat leave is up. This is what nearly all women did at my last company too. We had about 50% return, 50% resign after mat leave.
I was also going to not go back to my job but I ahve decided that I am and start back in a weeks time.I was like you and thought I'd stay at home but I changed my mind after having Gemma. For a start yep the extra money is starting to get more and more appealing even though I really didn't have to go back to work and just to get back out into the real world again as I've found being a SAHM for me is very isolating.But like I said those were my feelings and reasons.
Like Lucy has said at the time of beng pregnant not going back to work and just leaving seems like the obvious easier choice.I had problems with my owrk they forced me to go on maternity leave at 23 weeks and pressured me not to come back.My boss said how could she put someone on a contract as well and how could I bear to leave my baby with strangers!WTF!It was so none of her business what I did!
Its totally up to hun as you could always find another job later anyway that is parttime and fits in better with your new lifestyle.I was actually allowed to pick my hours when I decided to come back to work!I got lucky though.
Goodluck in deciding...........only you know whats best for you and your family to be.............
I have just gone from Salary down to Part time emplyment. I admit I am only in my first trimester buy I know my boss would appriciate knowing what I am thinking of doing...hope that made sense.
I am not paid maternity leave either..just 12 months of time off. I would check out your award and find out how much notice do you have to give if you decide to go on maternity leave and then wish to resign. It is a damn hard decision I understand coz when you think about it, your future banks on what you decide.
I am also bored with my job and have been doing it for 2.5 yrs now. Going part time feels like running arouns the streets naked. I still keep things like sickies and AL but it feels wierd. I start in 2 weeks time and am very excited about having the house to myself when DH is at work!!!! I think you will know what the right choice is, like a gut feeling.
Work not to sure what to do????
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just like me!!
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