Negotiating to part-time

shakespearenluv

I'm unexpectedly pregnant with baby #3 and work full-time. I plan on working full-time until I have the baby but then thought I might negotiate to part-time or four days a week.

I have not disclosed my pregnancy with my boss as of yet and don't plan on it until 12 weeks. Would you ask then or wait until closer to the due date?

I want them to know that I like my job and want to continue working after my maternity leave. But I also think they might be open to a change in hours.

I figure it's worth a shot. I just don't know when to bring it up. 

AZ123

I had a good relationship with my boss so I just casually asked what he'd though about me reducing my hours. I used "reducing my hours" instead of part time. Part time implies that you're doing a straight 50% cut and that may not be condusive to your company or your job. It is a good starting point for a discussion and I would ask your boss now before they know you're pregnant if that's something they'd consider in the next year.

After I mentioned it, I didn't bring it up again until I had returned from maternity leave and worked a month. At that point, the ball got rolling. My boss wasn't surprised and he'd already mentioned it to the CEO so no one was surprised. At that point, my boss asked me for a proposal of the schedule and start date. I would say that both parties came out smiling in the end. Also, my asking a year before it actually happened helped for planning purposes of department staff. So, you might take into consideration when your department does their annual budget. That's a good segway for a conversation that seems like it is a financial discussion to what the company can do v. asking because you want more time with your family.

Another point to make is that these things go much smoother when you're a good and valued employee. So, you want to work hard and prove yourself and set a foundation where the company values you. Then, the company will hopefuly realize it is a better investment for them to work with you to reduce your hours then it is to replace you.

GL

EastCoastBride

I feel that the more time they have to consider the idea and from that - if they agree to it- time to make the appropriate changes to the work flow (if there is an impact there), the better.

And the more you think about this and come up w/ solutions, the better it may go to their approving your request. 

Stella2008

My first question is--is your job one that could really be done part time? Sure, for many this is an ideal situation, but you have to be realistic on what can be supported by your group/company. Also--I've seen it happen many times where your salary is adjusted to part time, but that you still end up doing full time work (on your day off during naps and at night). For me---a fixed work from home day each week while staying full time has been a much better "balance" solution.

If it truly is, but would require some kind of transition of responsibilities to others, I'd suggest bringing it maybe a few months before you go out on leave (not at 12 weeks). But make sure you go in there with a very clear, firm plan on how you see this working so that all they have to do is say yes.

RoxyLynn

What's the precedent, and what kind of office culture are you dealing with?  Proposing the idea should be done very differently in an office where suits and heels and working until 7pm are the norm vs. a more adaptive workplace.

shakespearenluv

AZ123:

I had a good relationship with my boss so I just casually asked what he'd though about me reducing my hours. I used "reducing my hours" instead of part time. Part time implies that you're doing a straight 50% cut and that may not be condusive to your company or your job. It is a good starting point for a discussion and I would ask your boss now before they know you're pregnant if that's something they'd consider in the next year.

After I mentioned it, I didn't bring it up again until I had returned from maternity leave and worked a month. At that point, the ball got rolling. My boss wasn't surprised and he'd already mentioned it to the CEO so no one was surprised. At that point, my boss asked me for a proposal of the schedule and start date. I would say that both parties came out smiling in the end. Also, my asking a year before it actually happened helped for planning purposes of department staff. So, you might take into consideration when your department does their annual budget. That's a good segway for a conversation that seems like it is a financial discussion to what the company can do v. asking because you want more time with your family.

Another point to make is that these things go much smoother when you're a good and valued employee. So, you want to work hard and prove yourself and set a foundation where the company values you. Then, the company will hopefuly realize it is a better investment for them to work with you to reduce your hours then it is to replace you.

GL

 

Thanks for this. You're right I would be reducing my hours not really part-time. I will be more careful with my wording. 

shakespearenluv

RoxyLynn:

What's the precedent, and what kind of office culture are you dealing with?  Proposing the idea should be done very differently in an office where suits and heels and working until 7pm are the norm vs. a more adaptive workplace.

I actually work in a museum but I feel my job is one that can be flexible. They already allow flexible hours/work times. I feel like they would be open to it instead of having to replace me. There have been a lot of staff turnover in the last year and I don't think they would want to replace me. I think they would rather work with me so that we don't have to go through yet another transition. 

AZ123

Another thing to add about working more hours after you accept less pay and then they still have you working more. After the reduced hours schedule and start date was settled I then approached my boss about setting an hourly billing rate if they needed me to work beyond my part time schedule. I did preface it by telling my boss that I'd give a leway of about 2-3 hours per week before I started billing them. We agreed I'd bill on a quarterly basis. So far, I haven't had to bill as everyone is respectful of my hours.

*sparky*

Based on the follow up posts, I would say it does not hurt to ask and I would approach them sooner rather than later.  But as someone who does work PT I have to echo Stella's comments about making sure you do not end up with PT pay and FT work.  I ended up in that situation before and it took a while to undo it. 

Before you propose the change, make sure you know what you really want - is it a 4-day schedule, one day from home, being able to leave by a certain time, or all of the above.  And then also carefully think through how this will work for your employer.  Who will cover what you are no longer able to manage and what flexibility can you offer to them in return?  If you have already carefully thought through it and offer suggestions on how to make it work you are more likely to be successful.

Also make sure you find out what impact this will have on any benefits or bonuses you may receive. 

GL!

azuremama

In my experience, it takes a while to get necessary approvals, make paperwork changes, etc.  I probably wouldn't ask right at 12 weeks, but I would ask at least a few months before you go on leave.

For what it's worth, I work 4 days a week and I love it.

StayingSecret

I asked at 20 weeks when I disclosed my pregnancy. I put together a written proposal about schedules I thought were good options, what I could continue to do and what I couldn't keep on my plate (and who I thought could do them instead).

I think it's definitely worth a shot and better earlier than later.  My boss was agreeable to it, but she wasn't the final say, so it did take a couple of months to work it through the chain.