Maternity leave planning

DM718 · January 2015

TL; DR version:

How long would you ask that work not contact you / completely leave you alone?
What would you commit to for checking in after that (I'll be out 8 weeks completely, then 8 weeks part time)?
What would you request for pumping space?

My long-winded, context laden questions are below.

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Putting together my final maternity leave plans, and a couple of things have come up. For context, there is very little redundancy in my office, so I'm training others and setting up systems so people can access / take care of what needs to be done, but this will be new to people. Also, we're too small to qualify for a lot of things that are often considered required under federal law, but management is pretty receptive to trying to maintain good work standards (generous benefits & PTO, enough holidays that we pout about not getting St. Patrick's Day off). It's been years since anyone took maternity leave, so there isn't really precedent to work from, either.

First - my boss asked today how often he could call me. I'd like to say never, but I think the more appropriate response is "I will be completely out of contact with the office for X amount of time, after which I will devote an hour per workday to checking and forwarding email" or something like that.

The other is what is appropriate to ask for in a pumping space? My boss suggested the bathroom - we have restrooms like a 1/2 bath you'd have in a house, but that seems kind of uncomfortable, and I don't think anyone here wants one of our 3 restrooms tied up regularly for pumping. My particular office isn't good, since it has floor to ceiling windows facing the hallway. I'm thinking I should ask that an office that lacks such windows be reserved for pumping (one will be vacated at the end of the month) - I'm not sure what else to request regarding pumping, though.

mangomimosa · January 2015

Definitely no pumping in the bathroom. PERIOD. Your employer is required by federal law to provide a private space for pumping that is NOT a bathroom. Poop germs + pumping = not cool. I don't think they give any automatic exceptions on this law for small companies- but, if they refuse to comply and you file a complaint, they can then file for a hardship exception to get out of following the law. That said - the office down the hall sounds ideal.

To me, maternity leave is LEAVE. My employer may not call me. They can not expect me to check email. I am OUT. If you choose to start checking in, the 1 hr may start to stretch, expectations of what you should get done in that time may not be met, and you might start to stress about everything you're behind on. That's not fair to you or baby. (JMO-- but really think about it before you offer. And IDK how secure your position is if you say "do not contact me"-- but really, be careful on what you offer.)

starsailorr26 · January 2015

I would request an office with a lock and no windows for pumping. There is no way I would pump in the restroom, that's just not sanitary.

I know every company is different, and culture has a lot to do with how things are handled by the employer. I would ask not to be contacted at all unless it's a real emergency. Like PP said, if you say you are available to check and reply to email for an hour a day, they are going to hold you to that and then some. It may not seem like a big deal, but it will be once you're home with baby.

I guarantee that they will be fine without you for those 8 weeks.

lisap0924 · January 2015

I always like to think of it like this: what If you got a new job? You put in a notice and was gone in two weeks?! They would have to find a way to deal with it.
And God forbid something happened with NO notice and you were out of work?! They would figure it out.

I understand the Stress of it, I am worrying about it with my job too. But I know they will figure it out

DM718 · January 2015

Thanks for the feedback! It's great to know there's no small workplace exception on the pumping rules.

As for the availability issue, I'm not taking it lightly, but I think the chances are someplace between slim and none that my boss will not call at some point, so I'm trying to place limits. The top two positions in our office (of about 20 people) are transitioning to retirement, so they will not be available to rein him in, and he is notoriously helpless. I manage the programming and paperwork around the single largest grant we receive, which has at least three (and possibly four) deadlines in April. There was a year before I managed this grant that we lost funding due to mismanagement of bureacratic federal paperwork. So while they'd have to figure out how to manage it on their own if I left for good, the fact is that my office's ability to pay my department could be compromised if my boss gets too frustrated (plus he's ignored three reminders to sign up for the federal reporting system, which our COO is aware of and trying to deal with). My mind has been a bit all over the place with this today. My current proposal states that I am out 8 weeks, and then part time 8 weeks, and the first question he had when meeting today was about how often he could call. Right now, I'm leaning towards absolutely no contact in the first four weeks, and penalties for calling me in weeks 5 through 8 (such as billing the office double time for any work done from home, and escalating it for more than a few hours a week). I'm sure the initial adjustment will be the worst, and they won't get quality feedback from me while I'm sleep deprived and adjusting to the baby. Anyways, I'm sure my mind will wander with this all evening - all advice is appreciated!

DM718 · January 2015

@Mrsh924 - most offices in my building have floor to ceiling windows facing the hall for the length of the office (minus the door). Curtains have been put up on the windows of the COO's office, so that is a possibility if I can't use the soon-to-be vacated office as long as I need.

Also - I need to check for locks on Monday. I've never thought about if individual offices have them or not, but I expect that would be a non-issue to have installed.

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