I want to quit my job but I get paid Maternity Leave!

wenmatt · November 2014

I'm looking for some advice ladies! I've worked for a company for almost 8 years and have been wanting to quit for a while now. With that said, I really don't plan on going back to work once my paid maternity leave ends but I don't know the best way to go about letting them know. When do I bring it up to my boss? Obviously telling him now isn't an option because I'll be taken off the books when I pop and I won't get any paid leave. So do I call them a week before my maternity leave ends and tell them I won't be coming back? Or do I go in for a week after my leave ends and put in my notice? Has anyone had a similar situation?

mc0113 · November 2014

kicksomeboots said:

It's a benefit that you have earned... You're not wrong to use it in my opinion.

I agree with this. But I would talk with your supervisor about what happens if you don't come back. You can always ask hypothetically if you feel more comfortable that way. I have been honest and up front with my boss about not wanting to come back to work once the baby is here (I'm also a full time grad student and just can't juggle school and work with a newborn) and they told me to take my maternity leave then let them know officially when that time is about up. It is an earned benefit to them, so I deserve to get that time before officially ending my employment.

jenn43 · November 2014

I agree with PPs- I would definitely be up front with your work about not planning to come back. That gives them time to find a new person for the position. And not telling them you don't intend to come back is basically just lying- not cool in my opinion.

Kelly11235 · November 2014

I told them in writing two weeks before my maternity leave ended, included my badge with the letter.

The company I worked for was thoroughly awful. I had actually completely cleaned out my desk 5 months before my maternity leave started, in case I decided I couldn't make it to the end of the pregnancy without killing myself or one of my coworkers.

I waited 6 months to see if they would ask for the leave money back, but they never did.

If I had told them I wasn't coming back, they would have fired me on the spot, and I would've had to enroll in COBRA for my health insurance (not good).

Do what you think is right for you and your family.

opheliainwaders · November 2014

I would also check the company policy. Where I work, maternity leave is a combination of short-term disability and sick/annual leave. I would certainly want to give them fair notice (a few weeks seems fine), but I would not feel like I was doing something wrong to plan to use up all my sick leave first, as that is a benefit I worked to earn.

Frankly, my feeling is that US maternity leave policies are so parent-unfriendly that companies should be relieved that anyone comes back when they're just a few weeks postpartum and learning how to parent/feed a newborn. (Not that plenty of people don't want to return to work for many reasons, but in all seriousness, I really don't think anyone in America is facing a situation re: leave where we can say, "Oh, but that's not fair to the company!")

Aliki · November 2014

Be sure to check your company policy before you decide to not notify them. for some, you have to pay it back if you don't return...

Frankly, it's pretty sh!tty move, I think, even if you feel you "earned it", because we all know your company will DEFINITELY think twice before hiring any qualified woman of childbearing age after you pull a stunt like that.

And people wonder why, if there are two equally qualified applicants, a male and a female, why we keep getting discriminated against. Sheesh.

Kelly11235 · November 2014

Not that I have to justify my decision, but in my case I had worked for the company for 10 years, and was denied a promotion in favor of a man that had 2 years experience and only 6 months in the company.

He also got 20k a year more than I did.

Frankly...they're lucky I didn't set fire to the building.

sugarbear0524 · November 2014

Keep these things in mind:

1. You may find out that you don't want to be a stay at home mom once your baby is here.

2. Even if you hate this job and never want to go back, burning bridges is never a good idea. You don't know the future. You may have to get a job, and leaving this company in an unprofessional way would make that process difficult.

CNYBride05 · November 2014

Um, people change their minds allllll the time. I thought I would go back after my maternity leave, but ended up resigning after extending my mat leave (it was unpaid leave since I used all my paid earned time while on bedrest). I work per diem now since there were no PT options at the hospital where I work.

My point is, you can tell them after your leave is up.

sugarbear0524 · November 2014

Darbie914 said:

Are you planning to stay home forever? If yes, then fine. If not, it probably wouldn't be wise to list them as a reference and that's an 8 year gap in work history, not counting the time you would being SAH.
The best-laid plans change over time. Husbands get sick, money gets tight, divorce, boredom...anything could drive you back to the work force. Don't assume anything. You may have to work again.

k1dub · December 2014

I wouldn't do anything until at least 6 weeks PP. Frankly, I know I and a lot of my mom-friends wanted to be a SAHM but being on maternity leave changed that, quickly. Once you're absolutely sure that you don't want to go back, go in person to meet with your manager.

yeah. · December 2014

You put on your big girl panties and either 1) tell them now and accept that you don't deserve paid maternity leave since you don't work for the company or 2) go back to work after the leave is over and put in your two weeks notice.

it is super shitty to do what you're thinking. Super shitty.

GillianB32 · December 2014

You can never know what you will think of your career once your maternity leave is over. What if you tatally want to change your mind and stay there? What if they have an awesome new position for you? You might be overplanning right now.

I would not take any actions right now, and once the maternity leave is over, I would make my best to try to get back to work for at least few weeks. If that will not work, maybe asking for a more flexible schedule. And then if nothing else works you can just quit.

gnomemom · December 2014

@wenmatt, I'm curious, how is your maternity leave paid? Does your employer offer paid maternity leave, or will it be STD? My company (and state) offers neither, and my leave will be paid because I have hoarded my sick and vacation days.

Patch89 · January 2015

I'm not sure but where i work you have to agree to either coming back and getting paid by your employer or you can decide to leave and take allowance from the government (I'm sure?) if you sign to come back and you don't - you have to repay the maternity pay they gave you whilst off ..! Also, when you do return to work, you have to work a minimum of 4 months before you can 'leave' if thats what you want to do.

i would tell them now so if you do go back / work in future it won't affect anything.. upto you though!

i thought i was going to be a SAHM so was going to quit.. luckily i agreed to go back! thank god i did coz since being on maternity leave- that opinion has changed! will be returning to work in May !

janat1717 · February 2015

My boss knows I probably won't go back but was planning to take my time to keep options open. Then again, I was thinking of putting in my notice a couple of months before the due date too so I can have time to myself first. I worry though if there are problems with the birth and then I don't have my job either. Not that I'm expecting anything to happen, just a super planner

yeahbaby2016 · July 2015

Definitely read and understand the company policy. My previous employer paid 6 months top up but you had to come back to work for a year or pay it back (after up to a years leave of course as I am in Canada)

My current company pays 14 weeks top up, and once (if) you return to work you get an additional 4 week bonus (so no need to pay back if you choose not to return).

My company also provides medical benefits during leave (which you would not get if you quit early).

I don't usually comment on leave conversations because it is so different here (everyone is entitled to a year off with a small amount of $$ from the gov). But I totally disagree with the negative comments of people telling you it is a shitty thing to do to take and not come back to work. Don't make any decisions now, as org people have suggested, have your baby and take it a day at a time and figure out what's best for you. You might decide you actually want to go back. And if not, that's cool too.

yeahbaby2016 · July 2015

As for you question on when to give notice - it should be in you HR policies, usually 2 weeks, although after 8 years maybe a month?

My contract says a month.

gemmafig · August 2015

please please make sure you understand their maternity leave/STD/FMLA policy before putting in a notice. There may be a 30 day policy (or more, or less) that you have to put in after returning from leave. THe consequences of quitting could be very scary with paying back money to the company, losing benefits beginning the first day of your leave, etc.

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