WWYD - changing jobs while on maternity leave

Hi guys
Need some advice.

I am currently on my third month of maternity leave and i will be taking 1 year off.

My PPL started last week and will end in feb.

My old job i work 5 days a week travelling 3 hrs a day so hrs away from home is at least 13hrs a day.
It is very very rare that in my field there will be work close to home.

Anyway there is rare opportunity that there is an openin at my dh's work for my role. He works 15mins from home.

They will probably need someone within the month so question

Would you shorten your mat leave to go for the job?

This would mean i get to spend more time with the kids in the long run and able to pick up dd1 from school but would mean i wont spend much time with them now as anticipated

My mum will be looking after dd2

Also am i able to get another job while on ppl even if i am willing to sacrifice that payment?

Do i have to pay back any payments received prior to getting a new job?

Wwyd?

Thanks in advance.

I would be very torn. Given you had 12 months planned for maternity leave that's really cutting it down to take a job that starts within a month, so I'm sure that would trouble me. Having said that, getting the opportunity for THE job that will make your life so much easier when you are back at work would probably be enough for me to say well poo, the timing sucks but this is way too good an opportunity to pass up. So, I'd take the job.

I don't know about the payment side of things, but would have thought common sense would dictate that if you no longer claim PPL payments you can work whatever and however many jobs you want. We all know common sense often has nothing to do with these things of course ;-) Should be easy enough for you to check out.

I am so torn too!!

I'd probably stay on leave. Would the new job let you work part time for a while or from home??

Ill have to negotiate that once they open the position up. I am hoping they drag on and take long to open up the position!!!!

I had an opportunity while on Mat Leave. I didn't take it. I wish i had in hindsight. Insteadwegot used to me not working and DH's hours got longer and now i really can't work until the kids are older. I wish i had taken the less paid, less demanding, but ultimately more satisfying role whilst on mat leave (unpaid).

To avoid travel for 3 hours seems like a no-brainer to me! I couldn't do it - i'd just want to be home.

I'd work more now,knowing that in the long run you will have more time as a familylater.

I would take the job and cut short your leave - see if you can negotiate it to part time- and keep fingers crossed it takes a while to open up. Often start dates will be a month from offer anyway despite how urgent they often say it is. I know several times I have been told how desperate are for you to start etc but then the HR wheels take time to turn.

I couldn't do the travel for three hours either, and for me personally it makes a big difference that your mum is able to look after DD2 - in your shoes I would find the decision harder if had to use childcare but I probably still would do it for the long-term gain.

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Also am i able to get another job while on ppl even if i am willing to sacrifice that payment?

Do i have to pay back any payments received prior to getting a new job?

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not sure what i'd do, but wanted to answer this stuff - you will stop getting ppl from the day you start at new job - but won't have to pay back anything already received

i would apply for the job when it became available and go from there, at this stage theres too many ifs buts etc to really make an informed decision.