Anybody not going back to work after maternity leave?

Tash13 · February 2012

I'm planning on moving during my maternity leave and I don't plan on returning to work. I feel like a weasle if I sneak out the back door without telling anybody, especially since I have very good friendships with the people I work with. I'm just worried that if HR finds out I don't plan on returning, they'll terminate my employment when I leave and I won't continue to get my short term dissability or benefits. We're depending on both of these things to get us through our relocation. I've worked for this company for a few years and feel that I've fully earned any of the pay that I'll be receiving and I"d like to give my team the opportunity to find and train my replacement before I go. We'll also be moving out of state so I'd like to say goodbye to everybody before I take off.

Has anybody else had experience with this or do you have a plan on what you're going to do? If you're not planning on returning, will you be telling your employer ahead of time?

travnicek · February 2012

I'm a teacher, and won't be returning to work in the Fall. My school knows that I won't be coming back.

I have a friend who was in a similar situation to you. She took maternity leave, and then quit right after that. I felt like her situation was completely justified.

Good luck, and I hope everything works out!

byrne15 · February 2012

My plan is to take 12 weeks of maternity leave (we only get 6 weeks paid at 50%).

After that, I am giving myself 3 months to go back to work and decide if I want to continue or go per diem.

ETA: I am not telling work my plan

kgp_061910 · February 2012

I will not be returning and my employer already knows. I believe PP is right. From what I have heard, if you do not return, you have to pay back all benefits you receive.

Tash13 · February 2012

I think paying back benefits depends on the company. I have heard that some companies do make you pay back benefits. With my DS, I didn't come back to work but my bosses were fully aware before I left. They agreed to look at a permanent solution but not tell HR so that my "official notice" was not received until my maternity leave was over. I never had to repay benefits and had the option to continue my benefits under cobra if I wanted to.

I agree that it feels unethical to leave without telling my bosses but I don't think it would be considered unethical to take my maternity leave with the intention of not returning. Like I said, I've worked for the company for years and I think I've earned this time either way. Sometimes I wish I lived in Canada or the UK where this wasn't a problem.

mer313131 · February 2012

byrne15:

My plan is to take 12 weeks of maternity leave (we only get 6 weeks paid at 50%).

After that, I am giving myself 3 months to go back to work and decide if I want to continue or go per diem.

ETA: I am not telling work my plan

Curious, what is your daycare plan during those 3 months? Don't most places require a lengthy contract?

Tash13 · February 2012

MissMusic:
Tash13:

I agree that it feels unethical to leave without telling my bosses but I don't think it would be considered unethical to take my maternity leave with the intention of not returning. Like I said, I've worked for the company for years and I think I've earned this time either way. Sometimes I wish I lived in Canada or the UK where this wasn't a problem.

I understand what you're saying, but saying you've earned the benefits and then planning to be unethical seems...I don't know, wrong? I think taking leave and not being honest about your intentions of returning is kind of wrong, but thats JMHO. If the company has respected you, no matter how much you feel you've earned, it would be good to respect the company.

Yeah, living somewhere where maternity leave isn't an issue would be great--but sadly thats not the case in the US.

I agreed that it feels unethical to go on leave without telling them my intentions. That's why I'd like to know what other women have experienced or plan to do in this situation. If I didn't think it felt unethical then I'd defintiely just take off without a moments thought.

khill86 · February 2012

I may not return. I never wanted to be a SAHM, but my mind has changed a little bit. Financially, it is not an issue for me to stay home after my mat leave pay ends (I'm in Canada, so it's through employment insurance for a year). My plan is for one of two things to happen, I will attempt to get my "dream" job (I don't mind what I do now and the pay is good, but it's not fulfilling any sort of dream for me), and if I don't, I won't go back to my current employer. It is obviously different in Canada, but I know a lot of people that just don't go back and it's never an issue. Your mat leave pay doesn't have anything to do with your employer here or your benefits, it's accessed through your "unemployment" as a maternity leave and then parental leave benefit.

mel101 · February 2012

kitchencolors:
If we don't go back we have to re-pay the benefits we receive. At least that's what my understanding was based on a quick reading of the policy.

I anticipate others may have more pointed opinions though - know in the past there have been some rather heated conversations about whether it's ethical or not to go what you're describing.

This!!

venussapphire · February 2012

I wish I wasn't

Samiantha101 · February 2012

I'm in a similar situation. I found out yesterday that my employer will pay 6 weeks of pay for maternity leave. I was thinking I was getting nothing, as I don't have short term disability. I know I will have to pay this and any insurance premiums back if I don't return. I'm hoping they let me return part-time. If not, I will probably return and immediately give them my two week notice. I too will be moving within two months of returning from maternity leave to anther state or possibly another country. My employers should be aware of this, as I've mentioned it on numerous occasions. I wonder what the policy of returning for a day and giving a two week notice is? I know I'll have to payback vacation time, but I can't imgagine they can revoke sick time?

byrne15 · February 2012

mer313131:
byrne15:

My plan is to take 12 weeks of maternity leave (we only get 6 weeks paid at 50%).

After that, I am giving myself 3 months to go back to work and decide if I want to continue or go per diem.

ETA: I am not telling work my plan

Curious, what is your daycare plan during those 3 months? Don't most places require a lengthy contract?

luckily DH and I work opposite shifts so we don't need childcare (we have a 4 year old now). However, that doesn't allow DH and I to see each other much. That is part of the reason I am thinking about leaving my job. I want to see my family together.

Tash13 · February 2012

Samiantha101:
I'm in a similar situation. I found out yesterday that my employer will pay 6 weeks of pay for maternity leave. I was thinking I was getting nothing, as I don't have short term disability. I know I will have to pay this and any insurance premiums back if I don't return. I'm hoping they let me return part-time. If not, I will probably return and immediately give them my two week notice. I too will be moving within two months of returning from maternity leave to anther state or possibly another country. My employers should be aware of this, as I've mentioned it on numerous occasions. I wonder what the policy of returning for a day and giving a two week notice is? I know I'll have to payback vacation time, but I can't imgagine they can revoke sick time?

How do you know you'll need to pay back your leave pay and insurance premiums? Was this listed in your employee manual or did you discuss with your employer directly?

faith_urz4eva · February 2012

I did not return back to work after my 12 weeks paid leave when I had my DD. I was also close with my bosses, and although we never had a conversation about it, they had a pretty good idea that I would not be returning. My boss said she is not legally allowed to ask me if I would be returning to work. I received 100% pay, and never heard anything about having to return the funds. I worked for a large corp. (a national bank) and so it didn't directly affect my boss in anyway so she really didn't care either way! I think if you have put in your time, and paid into your STD then you deserve the paid leave regardless. It would be different if the company was small and private and paying your leave out of pocket.

Samiantha101 · February 2012

Tash13:
Samiantha101:
I'm in a similar situation. I found out yesterday that my employer will pay 6 weeks of pay for maternity leave. I was thinking I was getting nothing, as I don't have short term disability. I know I will have to pay this and any insurance premiums back if I don't return. I'm hoping they let me return part-time. If not, I will probably return and immediately give them my two week notice. I too will be moving within two months of returning from maternity leave to anther state or possibly another country. My employers should be aware of this, as I've mentioned it on numerous occasions. I wonder what the policy of returning for a day and giving a two week notice is? I know I'll have to payback vacation time, but I can't imgagine they can revoke sick time?
How do you know you'll need to pay back your leave pay and insurance premiums? Was this listed in your employee manual or did you discuss with your employer directly?

It's listed on our company's hr board.

Tash13 · February 2012

Samiantha101:
Tash13:
Samiantha101:
I'm in a similar situation. I found out yesterday that my employer will pay 6 weeks of pay for maternity leave. I was thinking I was getting nothing, as I don't have short term disability. I know I will have to pay this and any insurance premiums back if I don't return. I'm hoping they let me return part-time. If not, I will probably return and immediately give them my two week notice. I too will be moving within two months of returning from maternity leave to anther state or possibly another country. My employers should be aware of this, as I've mentioned it on numerous occasions. I wonder what the policy of returning for a day and giving a two week notice is? I know I'll have to payback vacation time, but I can't imgagine they can revoke sick time?
How do you know you'll need to pay back your leave pay and insurance premiums? Was this listed in your employee manual or did you discuss with your employer directly?
It's listed on our company's hr board.

I've only ever seen the manual. Where is your HR board and does every company have one? I've never heard of this before.

Samiantha101 · February 2012

I don't know if every company has one, but I seriously doubt it. Basically the company I work for has an internal website, where there's an hr board. On the board, it gives in depth info on anything hr related. It's very beneficial to have.

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Anybody not going back to work after maternity leave?

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