Resigning before maternity leave?

[Anonymous]

I’m currently 34 weeks - how much notice should I give that I am not coming back to work? I was taking another job I would give the standard 2 weeks but for some reason I feel like I should give more notice. I was originally planning on taking 12 weeks maternity leave and then returning to work but now I just don’t see myself wanting to return (and we are still VERY far back on the waitlists at our top 3 daycare centers)

[Anonymous]

Um, I'd wait until your maternity leave is up. You have no idea whether you will still want to resign at that point. Ad it sounds like "I just don't see..." means that it's all perspective right now but you are pregnant and a million things could change between now and 3 months from now. Other factors that might play in:
Is your maternity leave paid? Is your employer hiring temporary help to cover your position?

[Anonymous]

Our company has a STD policy that will pay 60% of my salary for 6 weeks (vaginal birth) or 8 weeks (csection) but the policy is written that if I do not return to work for at least 90 days following leave that I have to pay back that money. So if I’m not going to return I guess I’m thinking I should not take the money and walk away on good terms now.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't do anything until you get through the leave you have. You may change your mind, they may bend the policy and not make you pay it all back if you can get back to work for a few weeks, etc. Many things can happen. Take the leave, take the money, put it aside and don't spend it, and if push comes to shove and you feel this way after the leave is up, then you are in a position to return the money if they ask and you're no worse off.

I think quitting now is weird, why not wait until the leave is up and say "we have been on daycare wait lists for X months and still can't get in, I can't come back" sounds better than quitting now.

[Anonymous]

Disagree vehemently.

If you know you don't want to come back, then resign now. Pick a leave date that works for you and start helping with the transition. They're not going to fire you for quitting when you're pregnant, and if they do, so what? You don't want to work anymore anyway. If you decide later that you want to come back, you're in the same boat as anyone who quit and wants to come back.

At least you're behing honest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disagree vehemently.

If you know you don't want to come back, then resign now. Pick a leave date that works for you and start helping with the transition. They're not going to fire you for quitting when you're pregnant, and if they do, so what? You don't want to work anymore anyway. If you decide later that you want to come back, you're in the same boat as anyone who quit and wants to come back.

At least you're behing honest.

I agree withthis!

[Anonymous]

I would be open about this and explain to HR and your superiors what position your are in--especially the fact that despite the baby is on a number of daycare waitlists, you still do not have childcare.

You may be surprised--maybe they'll come up with a creative solution, especially if you are a valued worker. They may have a part-time/telecommute option, for example.

One of my annoyances with mothers who quit just because they think they "have to," is that they don't even bother bringing this up with HR in the first place. If you end up leaving anyway, at least you will have tried. And you will hopefully have put a bee in the bonnet of your employer that they might want to think about these sorts of issues ahead of time, if they expect to hold onto good employees who become mothers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would be open about this and explain to HR and your superiors what position your are in--especially the fact that despite the baby is on a number of daycare waitlists, you still do not have childcare.

You may be surprised--maybe they'll come up with a creative solution, especially if you are a valued worker. They may have a part-time/telecommute option, for example.

One of my annoyances with mothers who quit just because they think they "have to," is that they don't even bother bringing this up with HR in the first place. If you end up leaving anyway, at least you will have tried. And you will hopefully have put a bee in the bonnet of your employer that they might want to think about these sorts of issues ahead of time, if they expect to hold onto good employees who become mothers.

I agree with this but still think you should wait to have the conversation towards the end of your maternity leave. Again, a million things could change, and I have found that employers are more amenable to working something out as you are coming back. Broaching this before you leave is awkward and they are more likely to think they can replace you in the time you are gone.

I'm speaking from experience btw. I thought for sure I wouldn't come back to work and I'm soooooo glad I did because it helped me find my next job which is so much more family friendly and has onsite daycare that I was able to get into with no waitlist (which I wouldn't have landed had i not been at my prior job post maternity).

[Anonymous]

Unless you are 100% sure that you don't want to come back, i.e. you've always wanted to be a SAHM or something, I would take your maternity leave and then come back (if required as PP said to qualify for the short-term disability or whatever your firm offers). Lots of moms find that staying home isn't quite so wonderful as you thought it would be, and it's much easier to fire a nanny than to get a new job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are 100% sure that you don't want to come back, i.e. you've always wanted to be a SAHM or something, I would take your maternity leave and then come back (if required as PP said to qualify for the short-term disability or whatever your firm offers). Lots of moms find that staying home isn't quite so wonderful as you thought it would be, and it's much easier to fire a nanny than to get a new job.

Bingo - plus, you earned your maternity leave. It is part of your benefits package. Utilize it and then make a decision. You earned it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are 100% sure that you don't want to come back, i.e. you've always wanted to be a SAHM or something, I would take your maternity leave and then come back (if required as PP said to qualify for the short-term disability or whatever your firm offers). Lots of moms find that staying home isn't quite so wonderful as you thought it would be, and it's much easier to fire a nanny than to get a new job.

Bingo - plus, you earned your maternity leave. It is part of your benefits package. Utilize it and then make a decision. You earned it.

Not necessarily true. Many companies have a clause that states that an employee to takes parental leave must return for a period of time, or else pay back the lost wages. I have a very generous maternity leave policy (6 months paid), but it's only for full-time employees who have already been at the company for 2 years and requires a year of full-time employment upon return.

[Anonymous]

I was in the same boat, jumping back and forth, not sure, then I ended up having DD 3 weeks early. I'm on maternity leave now, and will be resigning at the end. My policy makes me pay back their premium on my benefits (however we are on my husband's insurance), so if we have to pay anything it will be a minimum. Our other issue is I would've had to go back to work 4.5 weeks before her daycare starts.

[Anonymous]

I'd quit now, telling them that you're still pretty conflicted and try to leave the door open if you'd like to come back.

If you're in gonna be in tough financial straits due to quitting, I'd think it through HARD. If not, just don't burn any bridges.

You don't need the stress of this weighing on you as a new mom.