I know I can be a bit of a pushover sometimes when it comes to work but damn this is ridiculous. We had our meeting this morning. You know the meeting about a meeting, about a meeting regarding my departure. Maybe it's just my point of view, but the work load doesn't look any worse (or better for that matter) than what we discussed a month ago. We have made the progress that we planned on making for this last month. Now all of a sudden, Its not good enough even though the bosses established our to-do-list.
I do work with a couple of guys who totally understand that I am not going to be working while on maternity leave and I thought after HR talked to my managers/bosses, etc. , they understood this as well. I was first asked to come in this weekend to help. I didn't directly say no, but I said that I was really hoping to have the weekend to prepare my house and get some rest before my induction. Then this guy, whose wife just gave birth less than a year ago and should know better, says "wow. hmmmm. this is going to put us in a bind". Seriously, this pissed me off because I requested this three month maternity leave when I was only 9 weeks pregnant. It's not like I sprung this on them last week. I think one of my co-workers, who is very supportive of me, looked like he was going to jump over the table and slap him. Then he asks "are you sure you couldn't just come in once in while over your vacation (yeah buddy this is not a VACATION) to help us out". I tried to explain verbatim what HR had already discussed with nearly 90% of the people, including him, in the room. If I work, I lose my disability pay. All I got were more sighs. After 45 minutes of this, nothing changed from the original plan. I don't want to make it sound like there was yelling or anything crazy but it was more like a "oh shit, what are we going to do for the next couple of months" and a "maybe if we play the poor-us card, maybe she will reconsider the amount of time she's taking off".
The clincher was a client who called this morning, about two hours after our meeting, saying they want me to write a grant application that is due at the end of March. I told him I would love to help but couldn't because I am leaving on Friday for maternity leave, assuming that he didn't know this (he knew I was pregnant but not my due date). He tells me, yes I know but I just talked to so-and-so, another one of my bosses, and he said if I asked nicely you would probably be willing to work from home on it. Oh boy. I kept my cool but told him I wouldn't be able to guarantee that I could give it my full attention while I'm at home with a newborn and didn't want to put him in a difficult position if I couldn't deliver the quality of work that this application requires. He seemed ok with my response.
It's funny (ironic), that just a few months ago I was painted as this over-opinionated stubborn person and now they think I'm a doormat.
I'm kind of wondering if I should mention these requests to work while I'm on mat leave to HR to make them aware that the previous discussions regarding the rules of maternity leave/FMLA have gone in one ear and out the other? Or, maybe I should just let it go. Regardless, I've got a feeling I'm going to be receiving a lot of phone calls from work while I'm on "Vacation".
I walked three miles last night (I normally try to do at least 1-2 a night anyways). Results: Swollen feet. No contractions. How is it that just a month ago I was getting them all the time and now that I'm approaching my due date there is nothing?
I tried a little nipple stimulation with my breast pump (For only 15 minutes, so I wasn't trying that hard) and all that resulted in breast tissue pain (which I started feeling this morning).
I don't necessarily want to go into labor at this point (which may seem contrary to the two paragraphs above) but I would do anything to be a little more dialated and effaced than 2 cm before my induction. I think tonight I'm going to do the boucing on the ball technique. I have a growth scan and a regular ob appointment tomorrow. I'm so curious to see how big little man has gotten in the last month!
5 comments:
I'm sorry. You work with a bunch of morons! Or at least men who just don't understand basic HR. Your FMLA covered leave - and the impact to your current workload - is no longer your problem. Like you said, they have had MANY months notice and THEY FAILED TO PREPARE. This is their problem. Yes, I think you should let HR know that you are still getting pressure about working during your leave, and honestly, I'd express a concern about the impact to your return (you don't want them blaming you for work not completed or of poor quality because you were out on your PLANNED MATERNITY LEAVE). Oy!
Absolutely tell HR! They seem to be the only people who get it. BB is right, you do work with morons. There is no way in hell I could have done any work on my maternity leave. True, I had a high-needs baby and if she had been easier-going maybe I could have done some work - but not a lot. It was definitely no vacation! You never know what temperament you'll get. And even with the most easiest-going baby you'll still have the sleep deprivation of the early weeks until they get their days and nights sorted out. You don't owe them a thing and you did more than most to prepare them. Let them figure out how up the creek they are without you and what to do about it.
I would note all of this for HR and then put it out of your mind. Give them a smile and a wave as you walk out the door on Friday. Tell them you'll talk to them in 3 months. And don't answer that phone when you are out! You will just get sucked back in.
I cannot wait for the post where you tell us you have a new job. I know it's coming! :)
Your work is unbelievable! I think you should talk to HR just to cover your butt just in case.
Take care, you're so close now!
Not that you asked for it, but here's my two cents... Definitely tell HR about all this crap! They absolutely need to know, and need to address it. And don't check your work email or answer your phone when work calls come in during your leave. Not even once. It's NOT your problem to help them, and as someone said above, it's their problem for not planning ahead. Take your leave - every single minute of it that you're entitled to - and let them deal with the downfall.
Can't wait to hear about it when you find a new job... and can't wait to hear all about the new baby boy!!!
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