[didkisa]

I am 7 weeks pregnant and plan to quit my job once I announce my pregnancy--in mid September. No one IRL knows I'm pregnant and we don't plan to tell anyone until I'm at least through the first trimester. On the day I tell my boss I plan to give my two weeks' notice, however, if he agrees to my not-very-demanding "terms", I will be willing to stay on part time for up to three more months. That way I can train my replacement and he can have me at his disposal without a major disruption in the office (which my quitting would otherwise be). I've even been going over old resumes to find some candidate who could replace me.

I've already made plans to take a 2 1/2 week vacation at the end of October. I have the plane tickets, B&B reservations, etc. It just occured to me that maybe I should've "asked" for the time off even though the vacation is after I technically turn in my two week notice (my "official" last day will be September 30th). I know he would probably have a problem with me taking that much time off and probably wouldn't OK it, but I do want to give him the heads up that he wouldn't have me--even part time--during that period, just in case he's planning a vacation or something at the same time (he often doesn't tell me with enough notice when he does that). I don't want to majorly disrupt things for him because I like him and want to leave on good terms, but at the same time I've got to think about what's right for me and my situation.

Any advice?

 

[Starr]

Umm, I guess I would mention it. LIke you said even though you technically won't be there it would be a nice gesture to give him a heads up in case he needs to find something specifically for that time. It really depends on your boss and yourself though. Good luck.

 

[phillychiquita]

Great idea. Hope it works out.
When you tender your resignation, I would let him know your last official day as the full time worker. Let that sink in, then offer to help out with the "transition" -- let him know that you will be taking some personal time (2 weeks) after your official leave date, to transition yourself and have a vacation but that you would be happy to come back on a part-time/temp capacity for the next few months when you return from your personal break.
The vacation could really be a good way for you to mentally break with the job and the office to get used to your absence -- then when you go back, you will be going back in a different capacity.

 

[peacechief]

:

I agree with phillychiquita. I think it's really cool that you want to make things as easy for your boss/office as you can. The reason I think it'd be better to wait until you put in your resignation is that you say you don't think he'd ok your 2 1/2 weeks anyway. Since the reason you'd be requesting it now is so that he'd have a heads up that you wouldn't be there.... Seems like maybe it'd be somewhat of a hassle, and not end up accomplishing what you're hoping after all.

By the way, I'm excited for you that you're leaving your job! I assume it's for good, rather than because you'll be looking for something else? I plan to stay at home, but will work up till the end... can't wait to put in my notice, though

 

[5thAttempt]

Here is my 2 cent:
First of all, once you announce your resignation, you boss is not suppose to pay you for the vacation you will take after resignation. Since your last day is sept 30 and you are planning to leave in october - this is not a 'vacation' time. If you want to get paid while traveling - wait with you announcement until you comeback from your vacation. You can do it the very next day.
Second of all, despite the facts that we all like to think about ourself as irreplaceble - they will be fine without you, one way or the other. Do not feel guilty for leaving them.
Once you announce you resignation be prepeared to be asked to clear your desk immediatly - this happens more often then not. Since you are on a good term and it looks like your boss likes you - he will probably want you to stay a while. You can tell him that you can stay for up to 3 month on part time basis without giving him 2 full time weeks.

Good luck!

 

[pumpkin]

I agree with previous posters, wait on telling him about your trip. Give your 2 weeks notice, then explain that you are willing to stay on part-time to help with the transition, but that you will be gone some in October. It sounds like there is a possibility he would say 'no' to taking the vacation time, so telling him you will be gone won't really accomplish anything.

 

[didkisa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by peacechief By the way, I'm excited for you that you're leaving your job! I assume it's for good, rather than because you'll be looking for something else? I plan to stay at home, but will work up till the end... can't wait to put in my notice, though

Yes, I'm gonna be a SAHM, and I can't wait!

I read that it's best to take a couple months or so before the baby comes so you can transition into it easier and have some time for yourself beforehand...otherwise it's like going straight from one full time job to another, and most likely you have little or no hands-on training for the new one!

That will be my case anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5thAttempt First of all, once you announce your resignation, you boss is not suppose to pay you for the vacation you will take after resignation. Since your last day is sept 30 and you are planning to leave in october - this is not a 'vacation' time. If you want to get paid while traveling - wait with you announcement until you comeback from your vacation. You can do it the very next day. Second of all, despite the facts that we all like to think about ourself as irreplaceble - they will be fine without you, one way or the other. Do not feel guilty for leaving them. Once you announce you resignation be prepeared to be asked to clear your desk immediatly - this happens more often then not. Since you are on a good term and it looks like your boss likes you - he will probably want you to stay a while. You can tell him that you can stay for up to 3 month on part time basis without giving him 2 full time weeks.

No, I'm not looking to be paid for the vacation. I was merely wanting to let my boss know ahead of time that I won't be around then so he isn't hit with it all at once. But, I will be paid for the vacation because I have accumulated a few weeks that, by law, must be paid at termination of employment anyway. But that's off topic since the concern of my question was not whether I'd get paid, but rather what the "right" thing to do is.

Also, I know I can be replaced, but I also know how difficult it will be. I am the only person who handles all the HR issues, plus it takes a person a good year to really get up to speed on how to do my job, as well as the ins and outs of the industry. I'm just looking to make the transition easier on them. I'm also 99% confident they won't ask me to clear out my desk immediately because this is a great office with close coworkers and all the good employees give much more than 2 weeks' notice anyway (usually from a month to 6 months).

This will be my fourth job where I agree to stay for awhile after I give my official notice. I think it takes the pressure off while letting everyone know what's going on. Then we part on very amicable terms.

 

[boscopup]

I think what you do really depends totally on the people at your job and how you think they will react.

I was planning to work through the end of August with my first baby (due Sept 10), and I announced the pregnancy sometime in Feb or March. I wasn't even out of the first trimester yet. I also let my supervisor and my project manager (I was a software developer) know that I would be leaving at the end of August. That gave us plenty of time to figure out who would take over my portion of the project (since at the time, I was the ONLY one on that portion), and to get that person up to speed. It's a good thing we did that too! I ended up delivering at the end of June. On June 24, I called up one of the project managers and said "Um... my water broke last night, and I won't be able to come back to work..." After the baby came a few days later, I went in the next weekend and moved files around and gave my successor all the info he needed (baby was in the NICU, and I was doing this during the "quiet time" at the NICU, when parents can't be in there). He already knew alot about the stuff I was working on, so he was easily able to take over and finish the job. He just needed my latest files and notes. I also told them that if they needed any info from me, to feel free to call or e-mail me, and I was quick to answer them when they had questions. I didn't get bugged too much. I think I got maybe 2 or 3 calls/e-mails.

In my case, the company is very family friendly, and ALL of the men I worked with who had kids had wives who stayed home, and they all strongly believed in SAHMs - I got alot of "Good for you" type comments from my co-workers.

So it just wasn't a problem for me to announce the pregnancy and give them plenty of time to work out a game plan for my leaving. It worked out quite nicely. But as I said, you have to know the company and the people you're working with. Not all companies are that friendly!

Oh, and officially, I was still employed by my company until my 6 weeks of maternity leave was over. I took advantage of the paid short term disability insurance I had.

Very helpful, since my DH had budgeted for me to work through the end of August, and I ended up only going just shy of the end of June. I had about a week or two of paid vacation that I was able to use, and then the short term disability kicked in (paid 60% of my salary, but isn't taxed, so ends up being about the same amount of take-home pay). I brought baby in to show off as I filled out all the exit forms, did the official resignation stuff, etc.