Am I doing the right thing asking to go on leave early?

guess I am just after some thoughts or opinions on whether or not I am pursuing the correct course of action....

I am mean't to be finishing work to go on mat leave Friday the 19th Dec but I am thinking that I would like to finish this Friday instead. :shhh:

The tone of my office has changed a great deal in the last few months for everyone concerned and I am just finding that I am not coping with it here emotionally or mentally at all. :redface:

This morning I recieved an email from another area of the business berating me for a mistake that was in no way my fault,. it was something that missed me the quality care team and the rep who was responsible for the sale - they then also bypassed my manager and CC'd my managers manager regarding this and asking that I be counselled because I clearly don't know how to do my job......

The management team and putting soooo much pressure on the floor staff both in office and on the road that it's becoming quite canabalistic in here now and it's never been like that before. :wall:

That and management are determined to get their pound of flesh out of my before I go -I finish next Friday and they are talking about putting me on a sales performance plan as even though I am right on track to meeting my targets due to high $$$ sales they don't think I have sent enough out there and need to be counselled to lift my performance. This was yesterday.....

I won't even be able to be here to finish the sales canvass as it finishes the end of January so I really don't understand the reasons behind this.

I've worked here 2 years and never been counselled, given a warning or missed a target. Why are they doing it in the last couple of weeks before I go on Mat Leave?

I am feeling really teary and almost physically ill I am that anxious about being here. Everytime my manager (who used to be a good friend) comes up to me now I cringe....

What would you do - just out your head down and try and stay out of everyone's way until next Friday or ask to officially finish this Friday and take the next week as LWOP?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.....

the only thing you might have to worry about is whether you get paid the full period of your leave - they can't stop you leaving early - and if need be, i'm sure you could get a med cert for stress to cover that week... with my employer, you can take mat leave at any point after 20 weeks i think - the only thing is, you only get half your mat leave paid then, the rest after you've had the bub, so you may have a period of LWOP kwim?

first of all - *BIG BIG HUGS* Sounds absolutely horrible you poor darling!

it sounds to me like you might be able to get a medical certificate if you have a nice doc for stress reasons...would that help? could be worth asking ur GP/OB about it!!! certainly sounds like being in the office is making things horrible for you when u should be enjoying this time!

Are you planning on going back to work there after you have bubs?
If not you're not jepordising anything, I'd be taking the week off, the extra stress is just not worth it, not good for you or bubs.

yep I know what you mean BG - I don't suppose it matters if its a week of LWOP now or in 6 months tho....

Don't know what to do... so undecided

Oh darl i feel for you, it's hard enough dragging your pregnant body to work everyday in those lsat few week let alone dealing with that crap!
I guess there's pros and cons with both option, with finishing this week pro is no more work or dealing with their bull sh#t YAY con they may feel you are running away from your so called mistake. if you stay the pro is i guess you haven't given them the satisfaction, and the con is you have to put up with it all for one more week.
Are you able to tell you manager that it wasn't your error and that even if it was being berated in an email should not be considered appropriate! and perhaps tell them that previously you have never had any issues so why are they nitpicking now.
whatever you choose hun it has to be whats best for you and your family, but it has to be your choice, sending you big hugs but don't let them stand over you and treat you unfairly becuase it's just not right!

Me - I would finish early. No work place is worth your wellbeing.

On the other hand you could stay on and make a scene (in an assertive way) about the inappropriatrness of the treatment you are receiving. Is there an equal op or harrassment rep you could talk who could advocate for you? Dending entirely on how you feel of course.

You definitely deserve more support than you are getting. :hug:

Thanks for all your responses!!

I am planning on going back at some point .... I have 2 years to decide.
I think it's hard for me because in a way I feel like I am quitting my job instead of just taking extended leave IYKWIM..... it's a little disconcerting....

KimmyF .... thats partly how I feel is that if I leave I am caving in and running away. Management actually came to the party on this issue and put the instigators of the email back in their box. Normally crap like that wouldn't even rate on the stress o meter but it was just the straw that broke the camels back IYKWIM.....normally I would stand up and go Oi whats the go ppl but at the moment I just don't have the energy to knock heads with management and it doesn't help that there are no parents in our management team...

MD - thanks honey I have felt very unsupported during my entire pregnancy here which is sad as I work for a MAJOR company... but you are right it's not worth my health and wellbeing... xoxoxox

I would finish early. That kind of stress is the last thing you need!!

I would head off to your GP and ask that you have a week's stress leave - in which case your work will have to pay you sick leave for that week (provided you have enough accrued). That way it won't be LWOP.

You've given them your all and they are kicking you down as a final send off. Beat them at their own game and get your doctor to give you leave!

As long as it doesn't muck up your leave or any other payments, I'd do the stress leave thing...

it shouldn't muck anything up but it surely won't endear me to management :(

Why should you give two hoots about Management? They obviously don't care about you!!

Plus, they can't say anything if you have a medical certificate.

Amy - I know it's just thats it's so snipy in here now that there will end up being comments made about my reputation when I come back and it would apparently jeopardise my chances of securing a P/T admin role instead of my F/T sales role....
I think I'll sleep on it and see how I feel tomorrow :redface:

Glad to hear they got put back in their box! Hope that made you feel a little better! Yeah im with the others if you can get a medical certificate they can't say anything, if your DR will give you one, finish on Friday and rest up! You don't need the stress or the drama!

Hmm I think they have to give you back an equal position to what you had prior to going on mat leave. They're not allowed to penalise you for taking mat leave.

I wouldn't worry. Take the leave and finish up without the stress.

Thanks for the support wonderful ones!!!
I'll have a think about it tonight and let you know what I decide tomorrow :)

DD, if taking assertive action really is going to come back on you in a negative way, then perhaps it's time to move on to another organisation. 2 years is plenty of time to find another, more woman-friendly job!! :hug:

Don't worry about all that now, management could change in that time, your job could be restructured, etc, the future will take care of itself. You just need to do what's right for You right Now! :hug:

DD - I understand your concerns with what will happen when you come back but realistically how many of them will still be there in 2 years time, and if you are stressed and it is making you sick then take the week sick leave. To relieve the "blow" for them you could request a meeting w your manager for this week to do a performance review and development plan so they can see that you are being pro-active and still being a "company" person IYKWIM.
(For what it's worth when I was due to go back to my mgmt role in a large retail organisaton after 2 yrs ML there were very few in that location who still knew me. The decisions were going to be based on my performance reviews for the 12mths prior to my leave, but I actually resigned prior to the plans being implemented.)

TBH, it sounds like they're trying to get you to quit so they don't hafta worry about ML! I would just keep reminding them that the things you're being accused of are not your area, and that in the 2 years you've been there they've had no problem - why would you suddenly start doing half a job?!

SG - Thats my point exactly!
I'm taking 12 mths mat leave and i have the option to take a further 12mths career break after that so everyone is right half the ppl there who might cause me dramas won't be there when or if I come back anyhow.

just so sad and disappointed that ppl carry on like this

Unfortunately it happens in most work places - there are always people waiting to kick you in the teeth! At the end of the day, nomatter how good you are at your job, you are ALWAYS dispensible. I've certainly learned that in the three years I've been in my job!