I WILL HULK SMASH EVERYTHING!

[meganew]

My school recently changed it's maternity policy, like they decided in June that they will only give 12 weeks instead of holding your position for a year like they had done in the past. I mean, there were 4 girls out last year for a full year (w/o pay and benefits obviously) but now- oh no, we changed our minds! I can't afford one in the nursery and one in the 3s room based on what I make, so when we decided to get pregnant we knew we'd be taking the full year. Once Ollie's in pre-k and the baby's in the toddler room the daycare costs are manageable again.

I can't take just 12 weeks. If it's only 12 weeks I'm just not going back. My dean was like "oh well, that's what they said" but I don't think she really pushed the issue. So they hired a new administrator who took my info, my formal request for extended leave, and told me I'd hear back from HR. Well, it's been 2 weeks and I've heard nothing. I've called, left messages, sent emails- nothing. Teachers report next week! I have no idea if I'm going back!

I finally spoke to a human at the central office and she told me she'd contact the woman in HR and tell her to get back to me. Because they won't give me her direct number!!!! Fuck man.

[Deleted]

Fuck, man. That's some bullshit. I'm sorry you're having to deal with this

[meganew]

It just sucks that this policy was in place when I got pregnant and then changed when I'm 7 months along. Like, nothing I can do about it now! Thanks for the heads up!

[wildfloweragain]

Do you not have a union? Normally this is something negotiated by the union, not "decided in June." That is awful.

[bittybomb]

You would think they would need to know also, yes? I mean I get that they would have had to get a replacement for at least 12 weeks but isn't that totally different than filling the position permanently? I feel like the answer is no, and maybe they're too chickenshit to tell you?

[Deleted]

Jul 29, 2014 12:13:48 GMT -5 meganew said:

It just sucks that this policy was in place when I got pregnant and then changed when I'm 7 months along.

I would hope you could be grandfathered under the old policy!! I hope you can get in touch with someone and work it out! Yikes.

[meganew]

Jul 29, 2014 12:14:59 GMT -5 wildfloweragain said:

Do you not have a union? Normally this is something negotiated by the union, not "decided in June." That is awful.

Charter schools ftw!

I have never missed my union more than I do right now.

[revolution]

Have you talked to a union rep? This seems shady to change your leave in the middle of it.

ETA:  nevermind, I see charter school.  Do you have stuff in writing/email from when you went out on leave and when you will be back?

[tigress]

Thats BS. How frustrating.

[NewOrleans]

Call your union rep.

eta: jinx and oops. Behold one of the points of charter schools.

[Deleted]

I hope that you'll be grandfathered into the old policy since you were so far along when it changed! What a nightmare.

[meganew]

Jul 29, 2014 12:34:50 GMT -5 tators said:

Can you go down to the office? This is such bullshit. I am pissed for you.

It's a big company that runs a bunch of different schools. And apparently the person I need to talk to doesn't work out of there.

[cville]

Jul 29, 2014 12:22:31 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

I was also wondering if you could be grandfathered in under the old policy. I hope so! Sorry you are having to deal with this.

I don't want to be a debbie downer, and I hope meganew has better luck (because this is crap), but my firm's leave policy changed while I was out on leave (in a good way, to add 4 more paid weeks).  It was about 2 weeks before I was supposed to come back and I wasn't "allowed" because my leave was approved and granted under the old regime. 

I only asked gently because I'm not in a position where I want to ruffle feathers and had approved 4 UNpaid weeks I could've taken, but they were pretty much like "nope, sorry, moving on now."  Probably I would've had it granted if I'd run it up the chain, but that would've involved untenable political costs.  

[BAMFMrsB]

Jul 29, 2014 13:17:51 GMT -5 meganew said:

Jul 29, 2014 12:34:50 GMT -5 tators said:

Can you go down to the office? This is such bullshit. I am pissed for you.

It's a big company that runs a bunch of different schools. And apparently the person I need to talk to doesn't work out of there.

Oh, that's ok. Go haul your preganant cookies on in there and refuse to leave until they hand you the woman's phone # or they produce her so you can have this issue resolved.



Heads. Would. Roll.

[Yankees21]

That is so ridiculous. I hope the person you need to talk to you gets back to you (like, NOW) and you are able to be grandfathered in.

[flex]

Sounds like the school decided to line up the maternity leave with FMLA. Unless you have something in writing guaranteeing a year off, you're at their mercy. That really sucks.

[lagom]

Still? Ugh.
Your admin should be scrambling at this point to get an answer either way.

[joenali]

Quit and then get a union job.

[daisybuchannan]

Jul 29, 2014 14:20:24 GMT -5 joenali said:

Quit and then get a union job.

Not easy to come by here!

Seriously though, I would be so pissed and upset. I loved teaching, but I honestly want to tell former students NOT to pursue education when they tell me their plans to become a teacher. There are hundreds, if not thousands of applicants for every public school job in our area (they all have to be posted on a state website). The hiring process is almost a joke, because they usually hire internally.

[W.T.Faulkner]

Jul 29, 2014 14:28:47 GMT -5 daisybuchannan said:

Jul 29, 2014 14:20:24 GMT -5 joenali said:

Quit and then get a union job.

Not easy to come by here!

Seriously though, I would be so pissed and upset. I loved teaching, but I honestly want to tell former students NOT to pursue education when they tell me their plans to become a teacher. There are hundreds, if not thousands of applicants for every public school job in our area (they all have to be posted on a state website). The hiring process is almost a joke, because they usually hire internally.

I applied for high school English and social studies teaching jobs right out of college in our area and didn't get a damn interview. It literally took getting into Teach For America (with a 9% acceptance rate) for me to get a job as a teacher here. Like, DAMN. 

Megachoo, I'm sorry that charters suck so much!!  They really can do what they want with no repercussions. (I work for a charter too). 

[joenali]

Seattle has lots of job openings!

[meganew]

I'm ready to lose my fucking mind. I've called three times today and basically just cried on the phone with the woman in the front office. I told her I needed an answer TODAY. I'm due in 2 weeks! I need to know what insurance I'll have or IF I will even have insurance at this point!

It's starting to look like I go into work, deliver under their insurance and then possibly not go back if they don't extend my leave. I know that is beyond flameful but they are doing this to themselves. They knew my situation, have it in writing, and are not communicating with me at all or giving me the ability to get under my H's insurance. I need to have it in writing what day I'm being cut off from theirs and they're not fucking telling me!

Maybe I'll wind up having this baby now from all the stress. That would actually be helpful.

[gault]

Jul 29, 2014 14:58:28 GMT -5 meganew said:

I'm ready to lose my fucking mind. I've called three times today and basically just cried on the phone with the woman in the front office. I told her I needed an answer TODAY. I'm due in 2 weeks! I need to know what insurance I'll have or IF I will even have insurance at this point!

It's starting to look like I go into work, deliver under their insurance and then possibly not go back if they don't extend my leave. I know that is beyond flameful but they are doing this to themselves. They knew my situation, have it in writing, and are not communicating with me at all or giving me the ability to get under my H's insurance. I need to have it in writing what day I'm being cut off from theirs and they're not fucking telling me!

Maybe I'll wind up having this baby now from all the stress. That would actually be helpful.

This fucking sucks and I'm sorry that you have to worry about this during a stressful and momentous time.

[shopgirl07]

Jul 29, 2014 14:58:28 GMT -5 meganew said:

I'm ready to lose my fucking mind. I've called three times today and basically just cried on the phone with the woman in the front office. I told her I needed an answer TODAY. I'm due in 2 weeks! I need to know what insurance I'll have or IF I will even have insurance at this point!

It's starting to look like I go into work, deliver under their insurance and then possibly not go back if they don't extend my leave. I know that is beyond flameful but they are doing this to themselves. They knew my situation, have it in writing, and are not communicating with me at all or giving me the ability to get under my H's insurance. I need to have it in writing what day I'm being cut off from theirs and they're not fucking telling me!

Maybe I'll wind up having this baby now from all the stress. That would actually be helpful.

I think you should plan to do this and not give it a second thought.