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Working Moms
switching from full to part time?
just wondering if any of the moms out there have done this (gone from FT to PT at your current job) and what (if any) positives and negatives you experienced...
*how did you go about proposing the change to your employer?
*how did you negotiate a reduction in pay/benefits, etc.?
*did you notice any loss of status around the office?
*did going to PT eventually phase you out of your job all together, or have you been able to stay with a PT schedule for a long time?
I've been at my current job for almost 4 1/2 years now, but I'm considering asking to go from 5 days to 3 days in the new year. It's a scary prospect because I don't want this to be the 1st step in me leaving - I enjoy what I do a lot. But I also feel like this is the only time I will have with my daughter (6 months) while she's this young (and before pre-school/K starts.)
Anyway, sorry for the long post. But any info/experience you've had that you'd like to share would be extremely helpful. Thx!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: switching from full to part time?
*how did you go about proposing the change to your employer? I put a very nice plan together of how the hours would be managed, my roles and how I would be a more efficient employee.
*how did you negotiate a reduction in pay/benefits, etc.? I didn't negotiate anything because the company already had part-time employees. I did state that the decrease in hours would benefit the company financially.
*did you notice any loss of status around the office? Only my boss and HR manager new about it. See below.
*did going to PT eventually phase you out of your job all together, or have you been able to stay with a PT schedule for a long time? It wasn't approved because eventually the position was going to absorb a retiring person's position, so they needed it to stay FT. I left about two months later.
As a Director, my question would be "Who does the work you've decided you don't feel like doing?" I fight to the blood to keep my headcount every year, and I can only do that by proving that there's more work than can be done by my staff.
Answer that question, and you're 80% of the way there.
*how did you go about proposing the change to your employer? I was talking with my boss one day (about 7 months ago when I was pg) and she mentioned that administration was working out how they were going to cut almost a million dollars from the budget due to the economy. I told her I had a great idea for cutting money-cut my position in half. I reminded her that at two days she wouldn't have to pay me benefits, so it would save significantly more than my salary cut.
*how did you negotiate a reduction in pay/benefits, etc.? My employer has a standard policy-two days = no benefits. I get two fifths of my old pay.
*did you notice any loss of status around the office? No. Most people are very happy for me, but I work in a school district and a lot of co-workers were sahm when their kids were young. I am also not the only one who works part time, though I do work fewer days than anyone else. (People who work three days get benefits, so almost everyone who works part time works at least three days).
*did going to PT eventually phase you out of your job all together, or have you been able to stay with a PT schedule for a long time? My responsibilities changed a little, but I actually ended up getting something of a promotion due to a new position that was being created that only required someone part time. I didn't ask for this, but the crappiest part of my job has been farmed out to a contracual service, which also ends up being cheaper for them.
The big thing I focused on was the economy-so many people were laid off this year, and this allowed them to save without cutting a position. I am trying to be very flexible about taking phone calls on my days off and checking my email. Good luck! I am so happy with this arrangement.
*how did you go about proposing the change to your employer? I had been in the same office for 4 years prior to having DD. During my maternity leave and while I was pregnant, my boss kept saying they wanted to keep me and were willing to be flexible about hours. So it was pretty simple for me to propose doing 30 hours per week.
*how did you negotiate a reduction in pay/benefits, etc.? The organization automatically decreases your pay, sick time and vacation time by the percent that you're out. So since I work 30 hours instead of 40, my pay is 25% less, etc. As a full time employee I didn't have to pay any of my health insurance premiums and now I pay for part of mine and part of DD's, so about $400 a month goes to insurance before I see my paycheck. That part sucks but I love spending every Wednesday with DD.
*did you notice any loss of status around the office? Not really because I still get all my work done, manage the same projects, etc.
*did going to PT eventually phase you out of your job all together, or have you been able to stay with a PT schedule for a long time? I've been doing part time for 18 months so far.
Instead of letting your employer think this is the 1st step in you leaving, make them understand this is the 1st step in getting you to stay, know what I mean?
Background:
I am a little different because I am a contractor and have always been paid hourly. My job skills are also very specialized and frankly there's not a lot of people who do what I do around here. Hence, it was hard to find someone to cover my maternity leave, it could not be done by someone at the company. The only person who had a background similar to mine was not looking for fulltime work, but was mostly a SAHM - and I had worked with her at a previous job. We've been job-sharing since I returned from leave.
- My boss actually mentioned the possibility of job sharing after we hired my friend to cover for my maternity leave, though I had the option of coming back fulltime. My maternity coverage was also only going to be working 30 hours tops, and working primarily from home with her kids there. He wasn't wild about this idea, but like I said, he had few options. If this experiment went well while I was on leave, my boss said that I could do the same when I came back. It went well. I had no childcare until DD was almost 9mo, but then started sending her to MDO for 15hours a week to get the bulk of my work done at once. That was my choice though, not employer mandated.
- no negotiations were necessary. I was already paid by the hour. I knew I had to work 30 hours to keep medical benefits, but I wasn't using them anyway because they suck and DH's are at least decent. All other benefits are prorated base on the average hours I work.
- no loss of status that I know of. The people I work with are based around the globe, so they don't really know where I'm emailing them from. Plus, with two of us sharing the job, they still tend to get a pretty quick answer. Our hours are also flexible, which means I might answer their emails at midnight or 6am at times - which is working hours their time, so another improvement.
- I've been doing this part-time/job-sharing/telecommuting/flexible-hours thing since DD was 3mo old, so 2 years now. And I plan to do it after #2 arrives as well.
*how did you go about proposing the change to your employer? Our company was losing money and they asked for money saving ideas so I proposed that I could work 4 days per week and take a 20% pay cut when I came back from mat leave, they took me up on it, but made me start immediately, which was when I was 4 months pregnant.
*how did you negotiate a reduction in pay/benefits, etc.?
I took a 20% cut in pay, which is equal to 1 day off per week.
*did you notice any loss of status around the office?
Yes. Before I went to part time I was promoted from an assistant to director over other older people in the office. Then when I went to part time there was a lot of resentment from other people who work longer hours. I personally think some people work long hours to appear more valuable to the company, when they really don't need to be there that often to get their work done. I think it makes me a more valuable employee, but I think they act like I am a slacker sometimes even though I get all of my work done.
*did going to PT eventually phase you out of your job all together, or have you been able to stay with a PT schedule for a long time?
I have had a PT schedule for about 6 months, however I am sick of the resentment and sabotage from two other employees in particular who are unhappy with my situation. This could just be because of the type of people I work with, but I will be looking for something new soon. The thing that sucks is that I will never find anything that pays this well for 4 days per week!
*how did you go about proposing the change to your employer? my boss had mentioned the possibility of going part time earlier on in my pregnancy. During my maternity leave I started to ask more questions about it and after returning to work full time, I realized that part time was a wonderful option for me and we discussed it further. My boss was very willing to work with me. She wanted to keep me as an employee, and I know the overall organization was, and still is, looking for ways to save money.
*how did you negotiate a reduction in pay/benefits, etc.? I am now a .75 employee- everything is pro-rated, except I do receive the same health insurance and retirement benefits as a full time employee. I work 3 days/wk and do check in from home via email once or twice on days I'm not in the office.
*did you notice any loss of status around the office? no
*did going to PT eventually phase you out of your job all together, or have you been able to stay with a PT schedule for a long time? I remain full time- 5 months later. And I don't see that changing.
I absotulely love my schedule
I came back in April only 4 days a week (32 hours). I have experienced nothing but positives. Sure it is a pay cut but I do not have to pay daycare for the day that I am off and I get to spend three straight days with my babies. It is well worth it.
I think the questions you are asking depend on your company. My company is very family oriented, so changing my schedule was not a problem at all.
*how did you go about proposing the change to your employer?
When I announced my pregnancy my employer told me that they will work with my schedule after the baby is born. Towards the end of my pregnancy I proposed coming back to work Monday-Thursday and they said no problem.
*how did you negotiate a reduction in pay/benefits, etc.?
Since I am salary, my manager just figured out how much I make an hour and pays me by the hour. My benefits did not change either. They are covering me and my family even though I am now considered a part-time employee.
*did you notice any loss of status around the office?
Not at all.
*did going to PT eventually phase you out of your job all together, or have you been able to stay with a PT schedule for a long time?
I just started the part-time working in April but so far I still have all my duties and workload. I just make sure to take care of everything Monday-Thursday. I have a backup that handles emergencies on Friday?s. She is great!
GL!
I had been working at my company for two years when I requested a meeting with the director about working half time. I also negotiated a four month maternity leave. It worked out really well, I loved having four months with my son, I loved returning to my career and I was able to work two ten hour days a week and have the rest of the time with my son.
I also upped my hours to 32 for a year. It helped that I worked for a family friendly company (counseling agency.)
Now I own a small counseling private practice and I keep my work hours to 20-25 a week. I have enough referrals to work more, but I really want to keep these hours until my youngest goes to grade school.
The key for me is to be available to my clients. At both jobs, I answered calls and emails during my non work days. Possibly it's the field I'm in, but people have been very supportive when I tell them I work part time. I know it's a cliche, but working part time is the best of both worlds for me and my family. It makes me so happy!