June 2011 Moms

If you work now but plan to SAH when baby comes

When are you planning to tell your employer that you aren't going to be coming back to work?  Before you have the baby, during your maternity leave, other??  How does the whole 2 weeks notice work in this situation? 

I'm not planning to come back to work and MH and I are also moving out the state a month after I give birth (yes, we know we are crazy!)  I'm trying to figure out when to tell them I won't be coming back. 

I know we all have a while to figure this out, but its been something that I've been thinking about a lot lately!

Re: If you work now but plan to SAH when baby comes

  • I would think 2 weeks before you plan to begin your leave would suffice. I'm sure the sooner the better from their perspective (esp since they'll be covering for your leave and it would be helpful to know they need to look for someone permanent at that point), but if you think your work environment would become uncomfortable if they know you aren't coming back, I don't think you'd need to tell them earlier.
  • You should read your employee handbook in depth regarding their maternity leave policy.  For instance, my firm will provide you with paid benefits while on leave but if you don't return to work you will be liable for the full cost of the benefits they provided you.  If your company has a similar policy you'll need to tell them your plans to leave; whether you do that when you tell them you're pregnant is up to you.  I would consider just giving them two weeks closer to your due date so they don't replace you and force you out before you're ready/comfortable to do so.
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  • Hey there!  I think maybe I mentioned to you that we moved here one month after my daughter was born, so I was in your exact situation.  By calling our HR department, I found out how many days/weeks I was legally supposed to tell them before I was leaving.  Obviously my boss knew I was going on maternity leave anyways so I just stopped into her office just before I had my baby and told her that we were moving and I was very sad to be leaving the job.  She totally understood.  You leaving your job has nothing to do with the company; it's because of your DH and I'm sure they will understand, and serve as a reference for you if you ever decided to go back to work someday down the road.  It's just hard to work up the courage to actually break away from the company I'm sure.  Hopefully they will understand.  I think if you have to train someone to fill your position, maybe you should tell them sooner?
  • I will say "DH im not coming back to work" --- He's my "boss"
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  • Thanks ladies!  I'm leaning towards telling them before I have the baby (but not too soon as my CEO can sometimes be impulsive and threaten people's jobs!).  I don't think it would be right to expect paid maternity leave to then leave the position.  I have a pretty high up position which will cause a lot of disruption when I leave so I want to give plenty of time for them to figure out the situation.  My other issue is that I'll have stock options vesting on July 1st so I would like to be technically employed until then, but I also don't want to take advantage of them...I work for a very small company. 
  • I can have up to 6 months extended maternity leave and I plan to take as long as I can. I'm torn between staying home or going back to work part-time, however the possibility of working parttime at my current job may not be possible so I will have to look for another job.

    If I decide to not go back to work, I will first exhaust my FMLA then give my employer the notice.

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  • I plan on going back. Right now. It's still up in the air if I will stay home. If I decide to not go back it will be during my maternity leave and I will let them know then. It won't be a problem with my profession.
  • I am about 95% positive I will not be returning but due to the fact that there is that extra 5% I will probably not tell them until I'm out on leave.  Unfortunately I love my job, but it isn't a very child friendly job.  I would love to tell them ahead of time but I can't risk changing my mind or the situation changing.  I also can't take the situation that I may happen to lose my job because I need the benefits.  I live in Florida so they don't have to really give you a reason for firing you.  So I will probably wait until I'm on leave and tell them then.
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  • I am a HR manager - don't say anything until you are on maternity leave.  If you say something before, they could let you go at that point and you would not get your leave.  Go on leave and then let them know...your leave is protected so you will get the full time allowed - depending on your State, this will help with benefits and pay!
  • imagePretzel80:
    Thanks ladies!  I'm leaning towards telling them before I have the baby (but not too soon as my CEO can sometimes be impulsive and threaten people's jobs!).  I don't think it would be right to expect paid maternity leave to then leave the position.  I have a pretty high up position which will cause a lot of disruption when I leave so I want to give plenty of time for them to figure out the situation.  My other issue is that I'll have stock options vesting on July 1st so I would like to be technically employed until then, but I also don't want to take advantage of them...I work for a very small company. 

     

    You earned that leave...go on leave and then tell, you can tell right away. 

  • imageccorso:
    I am a HR manager - don't say anything until you are on maternity leave.  If you say something before, they could let you go at that point and you would not get your leave.  Go on leave and then let them know...your leave is protected so you will get the full time allowed - depending on your State, this will help with benefits and pay!

     

    Really? In some states, they can make you pay back the cost of the leave itself and/or the medical benefits (this is what my friend who works in HR told me).

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  • imageccorso:
    I am a HR manager - don't say anything until you are on maternity leave.  If you say something before, they could let you go at that point and you would not get your leave.  Go on leave and then let them know...your leave is protected so you will get the full time allowed - depending on your State, this will help with benefits and pay!

    I'm no HR expert but this is why I said I will exhaust my FMLA benefits first before I tell my employer I'm not coming back.

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  • I have already discussed this a bit with my boss (who also happens to be a friend). She is going to automatically give me the rest of the summer off, then we will sit down and decide on hours and what I feel like doing. It is already a part time job so she still is wanting me to work for her when I want and when I can. It is a small paint your own pottery studio and she has supported me 110% so far. She has even told me what I can and cannot do physically with the kilns etc. So I plan on going back part time, even if its 4 hour shifts a few days a week. My mom lives 10 minutes away too, on the way to my job so she will be the perfect baby sitter. I love my job and can't fathom not going back after a while. 
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  • imagelynn97:

    imageccorso:
    I am a HR manager - don't say anything until you are on maternity leave.  If you say something before, they could let you go at that point and you would not get your leave.  Go on leave and then let them know...your leave is protected so you will get the full time allowed - depending on your State, this will help with benefits and pay!

     

    Really? In some states, they can make you pay back the cost of the leave itself and/or the medical benefits (this is what my friend who works in HR told me).

     

    I have never heard of this...but States are different and there are 50 of them.  I would check it out.  You earned the FMLA, use it! 

  • imageTurtle143:

    imageccorso:
    I am a HR manager - don't say anything until you are on maternity leave.  If you say something before, they could let you go at that point and you would not get your leave.  Go on leave and then let them know...your leave is protected so you will get the full time allowed - depending on your State, this will help with benefits and pay!

    I'm no HR expert but this is why I said I will exhaust my FMLA benefits first before I tell my employer I'm not coming back.

     

    FMLA is protected.  Do them a favor and tell them after you get into it...not when it is exhausted - you will get the full time allotment .  That way they can find someone to replace you. 

  • Unfortunately my company only has 8 employees total so we aren't covered under FMLA.  I think I'll wait until I'm closer to my due date and then talk to my boss and see if we can figure something out so I get my stock options but not take my full maternity leave. 

    Thanks again for all the advice! I would talk to our HR person but she is really gossipy and in such a small company I don't want to take any chances!

  • imagePretzel80:

    Unfortunately my company only has 8 employees total so we aren't covered under FMLA.  I think I'll wait until I'm closer to my due date and then talk to my boss and see if we can figure something out so I get my stock options but not take my full maternity leave. 

    Thanks again for all the advice! I would talk to our HR person but she is really gossipy and in such a small company I don't want to take any chances!

     

    You are still cover by PDL - this is 5 or more employees

  • OMG I was just thinking about the same thing! We've decided to just play it by ear as we get closer to our due date and take this time to save as much money as possible
  • I guess it depends on what you do.If it's not a big deal I'd do 3-4 weeks prior.
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  • I am a teacher, so lucky for me I am due 2 days after the school year ends (super planning on a somewhat unplanned pregnancy!) ... I am planning on becoming a SAHM and getting my master's while being at home, but I will not be telling my school until the baby is out and healthy.  We just witnessed a family go through the traumatic experience of giving birth to what they thought would be a healthy baby and it dying 4 hours after birth.. I am just one of those cautious people that I don't want to quit a job and then wind up needing it or life throwing some weird surprise at us...

    I would say that since you are moving anyway a month later, you don't have much to worry about. Good luck with moving with a 1 month old!!!

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