Working while on maternity leave

Re: Working while on maternity leave

• HoosOnFirst member

  April 2015

  I'm in accounting and that sounds insane and inappropriate. Working can also make you ineligible for short term disability I thought.
  
  I run checks for my company and I'm cross training another staff member to do it.... I hope you can work something out. My boss has said if we can't go without a team member for a few weeks then he is not doing his job running the team, which I am thankful for.
  
  Good luck and don't let them bully you into anything you aren't comfortable with!

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• btm013 member

  April 2015

  I agree with PP. I too am an accountant and would never dream of working during my maternity leave - unless I really had to for financial reasons - but shame on your company for asking such a thing. Also, I think it's somewhat illegal if you are given short-term disability. At my sisters firm (also an accountant), they take away your laptop to prevent you from working. Take those weeks to enjoy your baby!
  

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• virginiaunicorn11 member

  April 2015

  "Working on leave" is a total oxymoron! I was asked to come back early and told them I would "come back" early if I could work from home, but otherwise I am taking my time allowed. In my experience, counting hours will always short change you - company will get the better deal. Be careful!

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• KonaCoffeeBean member

  April 2015

  I will definately be working on my leave, but I'm self employed, so my situation is different than most. Keeping up on emails and other "light" tasks will help to not feel anxious about a mounting pile of work awaiting me when I'm ready to start back in earnest.

  Coffee Bean Born 6/13/15.
  2nd round exp 8/20/18.

  Meow.

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• bee19831 member

  April 2015

  My employer asked me but if I do I can't collect maternity leave unless it's less then $50 every week, which is nothing so no go!

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• jessicarae0316 member

  April 2015

  I don't have short term disability, so that isn't a factor and I don't think I will qualify under FMLA because I haven't been here a year. I don't know if there is any state laws that protect me in this case.
  
  Part of me wants to be able to help them through it because I got pregnant right after I started, but working half days seems unreasonable. They said that they would set me up in an office so I can bring the baby with me. I'm sure my coworkers would love to hear him crying while they are trying to work! Not to mention in the early days it's seems like all they do is nurse.

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• karaelaine1991 member

  April 2015

  I know nothing of the legalities of maternity leave, but isn't the point of it that you won't be working? It sounds to me like your employer is taking advantage of you. Honestly, I wouldn't even offer to work from home, because that opens the door for them to ask you to do even more. If you have an HR department I'd schedule a meeting with them to discuss your rights as an employee and what exactly you can expect to be entitled to as far as maternity leave goes. Good luck!

  
  

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• WifeDeAngel member

  April 2015

  Those first few weeks with a baby are insane and you will be exhausted, emotionally frazzled and really won't be worth much to them. Even if you went in half days, I'd be surprised if you got even a couple hours of real work in. It's actually in your companies best interest to let you have an uninterrupted leave and come back full time at the 6-8 week mark. They should have you cross train someone stat.

  

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• delujm0 member

  April 2015

  A friend of mine worked part time from home during "leave," but she didn't start until she was cleared by her doctor and STD benefits had lapsed (generally 6 weeks for vaginal birth and 8 weeks for surgical). She was paid hourly to work 20 hour weeks for the remainder of her 12 week leave, which enabled her to use only 20 hours per week of FMLA...she was happy to hold onto that extra in case she wanted or needed to use it later in the year.
  
  However it was extremely difficult for her to get her 20 hours in. She is fortunate that she could just make her own hours because she was basically working 12-16 of those hours on Saturdays and Sundays when the baby's father would be there to watch her. She had to work around the baby's schedule and it was dufficult. So if your boss thinks you will be able to have a set part time schedule while you're on leave I'd suggest getting in-house care for the baby while you're working so that you are able to meet that schedule. Working from home while caring for an infant isn't really possible unless you can easily control your own work schedule.

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• Frogger5 member

  April 2015

  @jessicarae0316 - do you feel like if you lose this job (or quit) you won't be able to find another? And/or do you LOVE this job and another one would just not work for you? If no (to either question), I would put my notice in a couple of weeks before your due date and be done with it. Of all the crazy stories I've heard relating to the terrible state of maternity leave in the US, your boss trying to basically not let you have any real time off is really awful. It doesn't matter if you know how to do things no one else knows, or it's hard to find a temporary replacement. It's not personal, you deserve this time. Not to get all feminist-y about it, but can you imagine a boss trying to take advantage of a male employee that way? I doubt that would fly. Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but I would say, "no thanks," and if that's not ok, quit. (Maybe your employer thinks you'd want the extra money? There are a few reasonable possibilities.)

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• jessieR358 member

  April 2015

  If your working than its not a "maternity leave". I would never agree to that and I can't believe they would ask you that! I think you would regret saying yes once the baby arrives.

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