s/o- maternity leave: do you know women...

[nomad100]

One of my former co-workers didn't come back after her leave. She called at 4:30 the Friday before she was to come back to say she wouldn't be in on Monday. She was klassy like that.

Not sure what happened re: paying anything back since that was my last day.

[Deleted]

No I don't but admittedly I worked predominately male firms & only knew a couple women who had babies at all while I worked. They also probably never had any paid leave beyond carrying health insurance.

[Deleted]

No. I know MANY who returned and left within 6 months after their maternity leave. Conditions were ridiculous b/c of catch up work.

[fortmyersbride]

Nope. Many of went PT after having our second (or so) kids, but I don't know anyone who outright quit.

[lurkergirl123]

I only know of one and I know it was a really tough decision for her.

[imojoebunny]

I did, my leave was paid by my disability insurance, not my employer. I had planned to go back, but my DD was born too small and was failure to thrive, and it was recommended she not go to daycare. My husband got a much better job while i was on leave that replaced my salary after the cost of a nanny after taxes was taken out, so I did not need to go back. I still would have made a decent amount of money, but we didn't need it to do everything we wanted to do and still save.

[magdala9]

I only know of one. There were extenuating circumstances because her child was born with a birth defect that required full time care until surgery could be performed.

[Deleted]

Dec 5, 2012 15:37:30 GMT -5 @vicmo said:

I'm in Canada, so technically most maternity leaves are paid, unless the mother was self-employed or fit some other exception.

I know a few SAHMs, so I guess they quit after a paid maternity leave, but that doesn't really count as our maternity leaves are paid through employment insurance. I don't have any close friends or family members who didn't go back after mat leave, unless you count my mom in 1980. I have not encountered a single coworker or professional contact who did not come back after mat leave.

I am in Canada too. I worked for a largish company (1000+ employees) and over a 10 year period, I can only think of two women who didn't come back after their year off. (This is one of the benefits to the system, it keeps women in the work force).

I am a SAHM, but I didn't stay home until my kids were older (2.5 & 4.5). Most of the other SAHM's in my social circle chose to stay home after their second mat leave.

[anaps28]

I did this. I took my maternity leave knowing I wasn't going back. I had actually lined up a different job to start after my three months was up. I knew I needed to be closer to home and the new job was willing to wait for me.
*edited to add that I was paid the entire time

[abramos]

None that I know of. All have come back from their leave.

[pamela]

Yes and we weren't surprised. She had taken a 6+ month unpaid leave within the last year so we saw that as a test that she could afford to SAH.

[Deleted]

I came back at part time. Does that count? I gave my 2 weeks and then used that to negotiate part time work.

I do know other people who have done it as well.

[Deleted]

The only women I know offhand who stay home are old high school friends and I only know they are SAH through facebook. I have no idea what the details of their decision to stay home are.

I only have a few friends who have had babies while I was actually in touch with them, and they all work.

All the women I work with who have had babies (that I know personally) came back. But we don't offer paid leave anyway, you can take off time you accrued and would be paid out anyway when you leave. With the exception of 10 sick days, I guess, which would be paid back prorated out of your last check.

[hannamaren]

I know a few who came back part time after their second child.
I cant think of any that had a "real" job that decided to SAH. I have a couple Mommy friends that were students and worked part time at Starbucks, etc.

[Deleted]

Dec 5, 2012 16:11:36 GMT -5 mollybrown said:

I don't know anyone that has done this. I also don't know anyone with paid maternity leave.

Same here.

[dr.girlfriend]

Yes, two people in a position I supervised did this in a row (e.g., one left, we hired the other, and she did the same thing). I really don't think the second one should have been granted her leave -- she had hardly worked there a few months, was unreliable, and then went out on STD super early in her pregnancy (like, second trimester) because of Braxton Hicks contractions (but no bed rest), took her leave, and then didn't work a day afterwards. She probably got about 6 months total of leave for the 6 or so months she had worked there.

[GailGoldie]

i only know one who didn't come back after leave. She had twins and worked at my company... which was a big reason my company did NOT believe I was going to come back after having my twins -- my boys had to convince them that i was indeed coming back - so he could push forward the plans to make me a job share. He was a miracle worker for me (his wife had twins the year before so he knew what i was going through and was so great through everything).

other than that- all the people I know went back to work - some didn't NEED to but did b/c they love having a career.

A few quit before they even got pg b/c they knew they wanted to be a SAHM - my SIL and one of my best friends fall into this category - they were having fertility issues so quit to help deal with stress and get pg more easily, etc.

[maddysmum]

Well, I know several, but that was in Canada so they all would've given their employers months of notice and trained their replacements, or have had replacements in place when they made the decision so the transition was smooth and easy for everyone.

And it has no bearing on mat leave which comes from a governmental level, not an employer level (unless you're topped up - some employers top up to 95% of your wage for the entire year or a portion there of - I don't know what would happen then).

[sugarbear]

Yes. A teacher, who took leave in November and decided not to come back in April. I think our admin knew that it was a possibility, though, and after sick leave, it was unpaid anyway.

[miss1180]

I did. We just adopted DS in August. I work at a school and took the 12 weeks unpaid FMLA leave. I could not use my sick days because I didn't actually give birth. Because my son is almost 2, and from korea... We didn't think 12 weeks was long enough to help him through his big change. I wasnt able to negotiate a longer unpaid leave...So about a month before I was due to go back I let my boss know I most likely wouldn't be coming back. She told me I didn't have to make my final decision until closer to the end of my FMLA leave... So that's when I officially resigned.

[statlerwaldorf]

Yes. Someone did from my firm just before I got pregnant with DD. I was laid off while on maternity leave. I planned on coming back.

[Deleted]

I just came back from maternity leave this week and the woman who went out right before me isn't coming back.

[dochas]

I don't know anyone who had paid maternity leave.

[aspentosh]

Only one person I know has stayed home after having a baby. I know she was planning on going back but just couldn't. (No idea if she had paid ML.)