Deciding Not to Go Back To Work while on leave

searchingforameaning

Anyone else thinking about not returning to work while on leave? I am 7 weeks into my 12 week leave and I am starting to think I should stay home. My husband just got a raise this week and money will be tight but we might be able to handle it. How and when do I talk to my employer? I don't want to lose my benefits but want to honor them with notice as well. Do I wait until I go back and work last 2 weeks? Or at week 10 send them an email or call them?
Am I the only one was was planning on returning but now has a change of heart?

setosh

I am returning to work, but not the same workplace. I told them last week on week 6 of my leave. I think it's a lot easier to tell them instead of working those 2 weeks. You should also do this in person if that's possible for you. 

LDSJM123

"Money will be tight, but we might be able to handle it." For me personally, I'd figure out the financial side before I worried about how/when to tell my employer.  . It's Thursday we'll just consider that an unpopular opinion. 

Singingmama10

WSS^^ I'm a SAHM and my DH and I lived on his income for probably about a year before we decided it would work for us.   I think that time period was probably a little overkill, but the last thing I wanted to do was quit my job and then find out I needed to find another one.  

winnie1122

I decided not to go back and we'll be living on DHs grad school stipend for the next 5 years or so, so we took more than a 50% cut in income and just found out that his new health insurance is crap and it's $1000/month to keep me and LO on the plan, so that definitely was a wrench in the plan. Point is, it's worth it for me to be able to be at home with P, but it is definitely a huge financial decision. Of course no one knows your situation better than you and some things may be worth the risk. I'm starting to struggle with the feeling of not financially contributing even though I'm working hard all day taking care of everything else. There's still some guilt there and I certainly feel very nervous any time I spend money now. Just something to consider. But I would let them know as soon as you're sure of what you want to do, so if you're not 100% sure maybe work those two weeks and see how it goes, or just go ahead and call it.

shaylalr

@winnie1122 The plan all along was for me to be a SAHM. We lived off of my husbands income for 2 years and I built up our savings. We just ran into the same insurance issue though! The birth and some other emergency expenses have cut down our savings so I will be going back to work one day a week to pay for health insurance. 

I told my employer when I got pregnant that I wouldn't be returning. They encouraged me to take maternity leave just in case, and now I am glad I did! 

winnie1122

@shaylalr Yeah it is so crazy, we were totally blindsided by it because he worked for the same university that he's going to school at now and they made it seem like his insurance would just roll over and be the same plan we've had the last 2 years. I never even used the benefits my job offered because his were better and cheaper. And since me and the baby have way more medical costs than my DH does, it really puts us in a pinch. Ugh. Now I'm trying to build up my little side business I had going on Etsy just to at least help a little.

setosh

@winnie1122 what's your side business? I love etsy!

Singingmama10

Yep.... DS's birth and my prenatal care cost a whopping $420 on my insurance.  With my newest LO, on my husbands insurance,  the family deductible cost us $5000.  Insurance sucks! 

winnie1122

@setosh Calligraphy, mostly wedding calligraphy but I do custom stuff too! My shop is called lreillycalligraphy

setosh

@winnie1122 oh my! That's beautiful. If I ever need things for my wedding (when and if that happens) I will definitely be going to you for those invites! 

winnie1122

@setosh Aw thanks!! I'd love to do that! 

brandiK

I would LOVE to stay home, or work part time, but we wouldn't be able to swing it financially. Would you be able to work part time and see if you guys are still good money-wise, maybe just a trial run? It's definitely a tough choice either way. I was on leave with my last job while interviewing and accepting another job. I let the first job know about 5 weeks before I would have returned, just to give them ample time to find another person. Another thought is if you are on maternity leave and receiving benefits from work, make sure you aren't required to return and work a certain amount of time, otherwise you could be financially responsible for those benefits. 

FTM53

@winnie1122 at 9 weeks into a few over 12 and starting to consider staying home. I want to go back, but at the same want to be the one caring for DS and seeing him grow up. 9 hours a day is a long time to be away...

winnie1122

@FTM53 That's how I feel about it too. I totally get that a lot of people just can't make it work even if they want to, but if you want to and you can, now's the time! I would really have a hard time being away from him all day. We're just making it work
right now, but of course if I end up needing to go back to work to keep our finances stable, I'll do it. Hopefully I won't have to though!

FTM53

@winnie1122 right now we *might* be able to make it work, but hubby is due for a big raise in December. I think I might work for just a couple of months to tied us over. The daycare is really close to my office so I'm hoping to be able to stop in and see him at least once a day. Plus, it will give me time to hand over my programs to my other therapist.