i'm quitting my job tomorrow...

mrstice

I'm supposed to go back to work in 2 weeks. Friday night DH and I stayed up late talking, and I decided I'm going to quit. My office is an hour from home, so I'd be away from DS 11 hours a day. And with DH working out of town a lot, DS would never see us!

I'm scared....that they'll be mad at me (which I will get over), and because I don't have another job lined up! But I have been applying and I know I can get a job soon enough.

I just know that this is the right decision for me and for my family. Now I just have to get it over with tomorrow!!

kbrickell

Good Luck! I am sure this was a difficult decision. I hope you find something closer to home. How long have you been with the company?

rjbear21

Good Luck.  I'm sure it will go better than you think.  Know that you are doing what's best for your family.  I'm sure they will respect your reasonings for quitting

vanillacourage

rjbear21:

  I'm sure they will respect your reasonings for quitting

Or maybe you'll forever taint their impression of the ethics of women who are either pregnant or intend to have children, and lead to less favorable maternity leave policies in the future.  Toss up!

Myheart1297

I am doing the same thing on Tuesday because of the same reasons, too far from home, I'm gone almost 12 hours a day and I don't get paid enough to do that. I have a part-time job to start though so hopefully we will be ok.Good Luck to you!

Mrsk1020

Good Luck! ?I wish I could. ?I have aobut 5 weeks left of maternity leave. ?Plenty of time to decide if I really want to go back or not. ?

avz2azb

Good luck! I was nervous about telling my principal. She said she was disappointed, but understood. I am sure they will understand doing what is best for your family.

LovetheMarriedLife

Good for you! I doubt you'll ever regret leaving a job to have more time with your DC.

Did you ever find out what will happen with your paid leave?

OUMedBride

vanillacourage:

rjbear21:

  I'm sure they will respect your reasonings for quitting

Or maybe you'll forever taint their impression of the ethics of women who are either pregnant or intend to have children, and lead to less favorable maternity leave policies in the future.  Toss up!

I agree.  There have been sooooo many "It's two weeks before the end of my mat leave, and I just decided I'm not going back!" posts in the last few days.  I am suddenly more understanding of employers having heinous maternity leave policies... this is so often the payback they get for being nice.

JustMarried2005

OUMedBride & vanilla courage:  Many employers don't even offer maternity leave.  The pay that you are receiving while out on maternity leave is short term disability pay - a policy that the employee (not the employer) funds.  Most employers don't pay anything to the employee excluding a continuation of benefits (which is what they should do considering these women are out on medical leave).  The 12 weeks that women receive are unpaid and mandated by the government.  Women have been leaving the workforce after having children for decades - statistically speaking, more women return to work now than in the past.  However, these horrible maternity packages have not improved while more women have been returning to work.  I think it's sad that women not only get the short stick on maternity leave, but now supposidly have brought this treatment upon themselves? I just don't agree with that, and I think it's another tactic/diversion that big companies use to avoid having to address the real issue of how to get flexible working hours to mothers.  I suppose that will be the next federal mandate.

 Mrstice - Your employer might or might not be supportive.  However, you have to take care of your family first.  No one else will look out for them.  As long as you can ride out an umployment period financially, then kudos to you!  I worked extremely long hours as a manager pre-children, and after getting pregnant and having a difficult bed-ridden pregnancy, my DH and I decided on the same decision as you.  My employer was luke warm at best when I put in my notice, but I have not looked back.  Good luck!

OUMedBride

JustMarried2005:

OUMedBride & vanilla courage:  Many employers don't even offer maternity leave.  The pay that you are receiving while out on maternity leave is short term disability pay - a policy that the employee (not the employer) funds.  Most employers don't pay anything to the employee excluding a continuation of benefits (which is what they should do considering these women are out on medical leave).  The 12 weeks that women receive are unpaid and mandated by the government.  Women have been leaving the workforce after having children for decades - statistically speaking, more women return to work now than in the past.  However, these horrible maternity packages have not improved while more women have been returning to work.  I think it's sad that women not only get the short stick on maternity leave, but now supposidly have brought this treatment upon themselves? I just don't agree with that, and I think it's another tactic/diversion that big companies use to avoid having to address the real issue of how to get flexible working hours to mothers.  I suppose that will be the next federal mandate.

I wasn't even necessarily referring to pay... waiting until the last minute to decide you don't want to go back to work makes it harder for EVERY OTHER WOMAN that works for that company to get her employer to bank on her honesty about returning.  Be that in terms of generous maternity benefits, hiring practices, what have you.  Every time it happens, it justifies discriminating on hiring based on pregnancy status.  Every time a woman pulls one of these stunts-- by which I mean reverting on her word that she'll come back, specifically at the last possible moment-- an employer gets confirmation of their belief that pregnant women are liabilities and not to be trusted.  Innocent women who actually intend on following through with their word and returning to work suffer prejudice and discrimination every day from women that do this. 

If you have to do what's best for your family, that's fine.  But if you're honest about it from the beginning, you'll make it easier for another woman to do what's best for HER family.  Otherwise, she might never get hired in the first place.  You said I was arguing that women are bringing this on themselves... I wish it were that simple.  Instead, women are bringing this on OTHER WOMEN.  In my mind, that's much worse.

mrstice

I'm hoping they don't think I planned this all along...Although I have been thinking about quitting (hell I've been thinking of quitting since the day I started two years ago...), I was still pretty sure I'd be going back until this Friday. I have daycare lined up, even went shopping for new work clothes that fit.

I figured I could either tell them now, when they still have two weeks of my time covered, or I could go back, potentially get a job offer the week I return, and quit then.

I'm not expecting it to go WELL today, but hopefully it's not terrible.