So, I have been running into this big problem where I need to take maternity leave – if nothing else, for the health insurance coverage – but I am also planning to quit my job, which negates the leave. I talked to my human resources rep about it, and she was like, “You need to think about yourself, not your office. Tufts offers this great benefit, and you should plan to take advantage of it. You can call anytime during your maternity leave to tell your office that you will not be returning.” But I had already opened my big mouth at work about the possibility of moving. So I had to tell my supervisor something, and what I told her was that Kelly did get the job in Rochester and did not get the job in Boston, but for now we are planning as though we will be staying in Boston. She asked what “for now” meant – a week, a month, 6 months? I told her that there was no specific timeline that we had set for making a decision. So basically, now it’s as if I had never talked about moving, and the office is assuming I will just be returning after the leave. My plan, I think, is to take about half of the leave – 6 weeks – and then call my supervisor and tell her I have made the decision that I will not be coming back. Kelly’s new job’s insurance should have kicked in by then, so I will be constantly covered, which is my biggest concern. Since Tufts asks that I give notice equivalent to my annual vacation days (15 business days or 3 weeks), I may also decide to take 9 weeks of leave before calling. It’s tough because I want to do right by the office, but I also want to do right by my new family. I have had a really good experience working at Tufts, and I would like to be able to use my supervisor as a strong reference when applying for future positions. Between now and the birth, I will be trying to clear my desk, rewrite my job description, and prepare for the next person, knowing I will not be returning.
I considered the option of telling my supe/HR that I will be resigning a month or two after my leave – say, at the end of November or mid-December, so the search for my replacement could start during my leave and I would just take the whole thing. However, that seemed way too complicated, and I would still not be coming back after the leave so I would have to break that news anyway.
Lisa, the part-time records assistant in my office, will be covering my position during the maternity leave. She knows the whole score about my plans, and wrote me an email saying:
“I think HR is absolutely right and the selfish part of me thinks that I should be able to prove myself and I am hoping there won’t be a need for a replacement. I am glad you told me though because I was starting to search other places for more hours because I think if you tell them you are not coming back right from the get go they are not even willing to give me a chance [to have the job on a permanent basis]. Whenever you decide to let her know is up to you I would do the nine weeks but that is just me. And I hope you and Kelly both know that if you need help packing or watching the baby while you are here I am more than willing to help.”
I feel guilty about not being completely upfront with my office, but this was the best solution I could come up with, and I honestly don’t think it will screw them too much.
