Maternity leave as a government supervisor

[Anonymous]

Yes. Just start planning ahead. One good thing about being pregnant at work - they can see the end coming so it's harder for them to wait until the last minute to make a plan for while you are out of the office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Just start planning ahead. One good thing about being pregnant at work - they can see the end coming so it's harder for them to wait until the last minute to make a plan for while you are out of the office.

Who is them? I have never ever had anyone else make a plan or do my work when I was out of the office. I had 3 babies in different offices. Every time work was sky high when I returned and no one touched my cases when I was gone. As a supervisor your own supervisor doesn’t manage your workload. Supervisors have to figure it out on their own.

Take the leave op.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn’t you take it? That is crazy to consider not taking it!

Maybe she isn’t thinking solely about what is best for her but also is being considerate of her team?

I understand you need 12 weeks or close to it after giving birth and I don’t mind when people take that. For the father or a parent who hasn’t given birth you have 12 weeks to take any time over a year, why would t you at least consider what might work for the rest of your team? So many groups are stretched thin and taking 12 consecutive weeks off while others may be out or things are particularly busy is so inconsiderate.

[Anonymous]

I took 20 weeks before there was the paid leave as a newly promoted chief. Six months later my male Director said I inspired him to take four months. I would absolutely do it again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Set the great example!!

I would set the example of not dumping all of my work on my colleagues for 3 months, so you have any idea how much this annoys the non-parents around you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn’t you take it? That is crazy to consider not taking it!

Maybe she isn’t thinking solely about what is best for her but also is being considerate of her team?

I understand you need 12 weeks or close to it after giving birth and I don’t mind when people take that. For the father or a parent who hasn’t given birth you have 12 weeks to take any time over a year, why would t you at least consider what might work for the rest of your team? So many groups are stretched thin and taking 12 consecutive weeks off while others may be out or things are particularly busy is so inconsiderate.

Any organization that cannot adjust with several months of notice has a problem bigger than one person.

What if that same new parent left for a different job? It will take awhile to hire amd get someone up to speed. So should someone who "consider the rest of their team" not take a promotion? Or it only matters when it comes to taking parent leave.

Men who take parental leave help level the playing field at work and home, and they send a signal that their office isn't driven by sexist outdated gender norms. I have a ton of respect for it.

- fed supervisor who took 2 long maternity leaves and my fed DH took the full PPLA as well

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set the great example!!

I would set the example of not dumping all of my work on my colleagues for 3 months, so you have any idea how much this annoys the non-parents around you?

First of all, it's earned benefit. She's entitled to it.

Second of all, if the office can barely function without one person being out for 3 months, then it needs better planning, and more staffing.

Third of all, do not make this a parent vs non-parent conflict. People may need to take extended leave for medical events themselves or taking care of loved ones. Anybody who bean counts how much others take (that they've earned) is not a good team player.

Lastly, parental leave in this country is already pretty crappy compared to most developed countries. Let's not shoot for the bottom. Those of you who begrudge a new parent her full leave, just think it this way: her kid will one day pay for your retirement/medical care. Have some grace and long view for the human race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set the great example!!

I would set the example of not dumping all of my work on my colleagues for 3 months, so you have any idea how much this annoys the non-parents around you?

It is what it is. The people in my office who have been out for medical treatments have taken far longer leave, and done less work before and after, than the ones taking parental leave. No one begrudges it. And I - the supervisor - make sure to pitch in to cover as well. People in my office stay a long time because we really value each person and we aren't jerks about helping each other out.

And as another person said, sometimes it can be valuable for someone to cover for a supervisor. A colleague acted in my place when I took five months of parental leave, and a few years later he was able to sell that as the managerial experience he needed to get a promotion in another department.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would hope you’d think about the impact on others, not just yourself. Who is picking up your slack? As a fellow fed supervisor, I would not do this to my team. I might take a few weeks, then come back part time. I would not be completely away for 1/4 of a year.

Fed supervisor here at a good agency- I completely disagree. Sounds like your agency needs better succession planning. Anyone can give 2 weeks notice at any time. 12 weeks is nbd. 6 months might be harder since they never bring on any temps at federal agencies.

This. You have to plan for anybody on the team to suddenly quit or die, because it could happen to any of us. It's the managers job to have people cross train and document, and to bring people in on her decision making so they know what she'd do. It's the organization's job to hire enough staff.

You do nobody any favors when you compensate for poor planning and staffing by not taking your earned time off. Why should they fix anything if you won't let it fail?

[Anonymous]

100% take the leave. It’s the government and work-life balance is the perk. Set a good example for your staff. Obviously if you’re on leave and want to cut it short, go for it, but plan to take it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set the great example!!

I would set the example of not dumping all of my work on my colleagues for 3 months, so you have any idea how much this annoys the non-parents around you?

Doesn't annoy me at all actually.

The only people I've ever heard complain are older women who didn't get maternity leave or rant about women who need it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set the great example!!

I would set the example of not dumping all of my work on my colleagues for 3 months, so you have any idea how much this annoys the non-parents around you?

First of all, it's earned benefit. She's entitled to it.

Second of all, if the office can barely function without one person being out for 3 months, then it needs better planning, and more staffing.

Third of all, do not make this a parent vs non-parent conflict. People may need to take extended leave for medical events themselves or taking care of loved ones. Anybody who bean counts how much others take (that they've earned) is not a good team player.

Lastly, parental leave in this country is already pretty crappy compared to most developed countries. Let's not shoot for the bottom. Those of you who begrudge a new parent her full leave, just think it this way: her kid will one day pay for your retirement/medical care. Have some grace and long view for the human race.

We don’t make it “parent vs non parent”, you do. when non-parents need to take extra time for “medical events and taking care of loved ones” the people who took max child leave never advocate for others to get the same. Leave for me but not for thee!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set the great example!!

I would set the example of not dumping all of my work on my colleagues for 3 months, so you have any idea how much this annoys the non-parents around you?

First of all, it's earned benefit. She's entitled to it.

Second of all, if the office can barely function without one person being out for 3 months, then it needs better planning, and more staffing.

Third of all, do not make this a parent vs non-parent conflict. People may need to take extended leave for medical events themselves or taking care of loved ones. Anybody who bean counts how much others take (that they've earned) is not a good team player.

Lastly, parental leave in this country is already pretty crappy compared to most developed countries. Let's not shoot for the bottom. Those of you who begrudge a new parent her full leave, just think it this way: her kid will one day pay for your retirement/medical care. Have some grace and long view for the human race.

We don’t make it “parent vs non parent”, you do. when non-parents need to take extra time for “medical events and taking care of loved ones” the people who took max child leave never advocate for others to get the same. Leave for me but not for thee!

NP I have no clue what you're talking about. My employees with elderly parents actually are the ones who take the most leave, hands down.

[Anonymous]

Yes, take the leave. I thought this was just assumed when you worked for the government and part of the reason people want to work there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would hope you’d think about the impact on others, not just yourself. Who is picking up your slack? As a fellow fed supervisor, I would not do this to my team. I might take a few weeks, then come back part time. I would not be completely away for 1/4 of a year.

Fed supervisor here at a good agency- I completely disagree. Sounds like your agency needs better succession planning. Anyone can give 2 weeks notice at any time. 12 weeks is nbd. 6 months might be harder since they never bring on any temps at federal agencies.

This. You have to plan for anybody on the team to suddenly quit or die, because it could happen to any of us. It's the managers job to have people cross train and document, and to bring people in on her decision making so they know what she'd do. It's the organization's job to hire enough staff.

You do nobody any favors when you compensate for poor planning and staffing by not taking your earned time off. Why should they fix anything if you won't let it fail?

100%

This is a great opportunity to get things organized and make sure staff is up to speed and read in on what needs to get done and how. I worked at an agency like this for 15 years—any one of the more experienced staff could fill in for the supervisor if they were gone for a few months. NBD