Reply to Employee Asking for Mat Leave Extension for 2nd Time

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Well, this is what you get for demanding RTO. She'd probably be more ok with coming back if she could work from home, at least hybrid. 5 days in the office is much more intimidating to go back to when you are a new mom. There ya go. Have fun covering for her or replacing her.[/quote]

It is practically impossible to work from home with a newborn.  I mean, seriously.  Anyone who has had a newborn knows this.[/quote]

True. But welcome to two working parent households. Every employer has the right to insist on childcare for kids under a certain age for WFH. But and a working mom, here’s how this goes.  Either there is a nanny/nanny share set up, and the baby is brought in to feed (faster, safer, easier than pumping in the office). Or the child is in daycare near home if Mom and Dad don’t work near each other.  And leaving an infant in childcare is HARD for many women.  And it makes most of us anxious. For many women, that does tip into them leaving the workforce.

Let’s say the employee here has an hour commute each way under RTO (and is trying to pump and maintain a milk supply).  That puts her an hour away from her baby while she adjusts to having that kid in childcare.  And that feeling of “what if something goes wrong and I can’t get there” can be terrifying.  Working from home for the first month or two with the baby is in childcare (with the nanny, but mom can see it’s okay or a childcare center and mom and go fed at lunch and see the baby is okay) helps her feel like her child is safe.  And ideally, her spouse works at home or takes time her first week back in the office, so she can get back into a routine and trust she can get to her kid in an emergency.

There is an evolutionary reason women can’t just drop a six week old at a childcare center, commute an hour, and then concentrate on anything.  Our ancestors would have dumped their six week olds pretty dang fast if it were that easy.

It’s reasonable to expect her to come in. It’s kind to give her telework at first so that she can trust in her child’s safety and health.  And it gives you a workers who isn’t distracted and anxious. So why not do it?[/quote]

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