Starting a New Job Right After Maternity Leave, Good or Bad Idea?

[Anonymous]

I work for the gov't in a job that requires travel, it varies but is generally 1-4 nights a month away from home. I plan to take 3 months off or so and then go back to work. I really don't want to travel when I have an infant and am breastfeeding. Also, my agency does not give comp time when you work late. So I know I won't want to stay here for very long. I was thinking it may be best to come back after maternity leave for a little bit because I am expecting to be sleep deprived, emotional, etc. and at least they know me here and I have a good reputation. However, a co-worker pointed out that most women who give birth do not come back because the travel can be so unpredictable. I know I would be unhappy traveling. Is my reason for wanting to come back right after maternity leave one that makes sense or not? Has anyone started a new job after maternity leave and had good or bad experiences?

[Anonymous]

I started a new job immediately after taking a 6-month maternity leave, and it has been a good experience for me. I got to start at a new job and set expectations there that I could live with at the time, and not have to live up to pre-baby expectations at my former job. And because I was going into a new job that I was excited about, instead of back to a place I knew I did not want to stay, the separation from the baby was not as hard as it would have been. The trickiest part is interviewing. I was moving from private sector to government, so I sent out a bunch of letters before the baby was born, and began getting calls while I was home. I did my first interview 6-weeks post-partum, and that was hard, but manageable. I did not want to be interviewing when I was pregnant, but I would have if I'd had to. With a 3-month maternity leave, the timing will be a bit trickier. If you can take some LWOP to stretch that time out, you may find it easier. One other thing to be careful about - be VERY discreet about your plans. Some places have a technical requirement that you intent to return in order to take maternity leave. That probably doesn't apply to the government since it doesn't actually provide maternity leave per se, but it still can't hurt to be discreet. Good luck and congratulations!

[Anonymous]

Congratulations on your pregnancy! You ask a really difficult question. On one hand, I think you are smart to return to your job where you are known and have a good reputation. On the other hand, I can see why you would want to limit your travel while breastfeeding. Pregnancy is protected by EEO laws (under gender) but I don't know if that protection extends (or if there is any case law you could refer to) beyond birth. It might. Do you have any friends w/in your agency you could discreetly ask about accommodation after birth (like flex time/ compressed work week or no travel for one year) or any online resources / policy for your agency that give guidance? I agree with the PP. If LWOP is an option, go for it and to be discreet about your plans. Good luck! I'm a government employee too and it is certainly very difficult to manage w/o a good maternity leave policy.

[Anonymous]

Hi and congratulations! I think a lot of this might depend on what, exactly, it is that you are doing. If you are moving from public sector to a private sectory company / association / other group that you've worked with in some capacity before, your good reputation will come with you.

A PP has also mentioned that she would have interviewed while pregnant -- this seems like one to file under the "can't hurt" category. If you interview while pregnant, of course, the timing might be tricky but then again there are plenty of people who take extended periods of time to "wrap up" business at their old position before taking on a new one. My boss, for instance, who was the president of my association, stayed with our company for two months after she gave her notice, tying up loose ends, and then took a month off before starting her new post. This is uncommon, I imagine, but it still happens. I think one of the tricks would be to let any new job know that you most certainly intend to come back to work. There is still this fear out there, that's held by employers, that a pregnant woman who says she is definitely going back to work is actually only "maybe" going to go back to work. If you let them know you're serious, you might find someone willing to put the job on ice for a little while. As I said, so much of it depends on what you do, what type of organization you'd be going to, and how the staffing is generally handled there.

If not, take heart. I know it's not what you want to do, but I have a friend who worked for American Airlines, corporate, in their PR department. She came back to work after having her baby and a week later 9/11 happened. While she had asked for "no travel" when she first came back to work, which had been approved. Still, since this was obviously an all hands on deck situation and they specifically needed people like her with people skills to help communicate with and comfort families of the passengers as well as to get information out to the public, she felt a moral obligation that competed with her mommy obligation and ultimately compromised by making a 2 day trip to NY once a week with a 3 month old at home. I asked her how in the world she managed to breastfeed and she said she PUMPED. and pumped. And pumped. And she ended up breastfeeding for another 6 months or so after that, so it can be done. Again, I know you don't want this, and I'm not suggesting you should do that -- just trying to offer some encouragement in case you do end up going back to the old job and have to make a few trips before you can find something better.

good luck with your pregnancy AND with the job search!