Advice about leaving job after Maternity Leave

[isaacsfamilyforchrist]

So here is my dilemma and I need some advice.

I lost my job in March while I was still pregnant but I was quickly hired in April. I disclosed that I was pregnant during my interview so they knew what they were getting into before hiring me. About 4 months into the job, I started to get burned out. I was leaving the house roughly at 9am and not getting back until 8pm. The traffic to this job is awful (1hr-1/1/2hr each way) Also the job was not what I had expected either.

Now that I just started maternity leave (8 weeks Short term disability-80% pay), I am considering not going back to work afterwards but I also feel extremely guilty to do this to my manager and coworkers.

I am not sure how I should handle this. I can't imagine leaving my baby for 11 hours each day since he was born under weight but also quitting my job makes me seem like a really horrible employee (and seem like I was using the company for their benefits).

What would be the best way to proceed?

 

[estera]

@isaacsfamilyforchrist As someone who runs a large HR department and has coached many employees on their leave decision I can say that you should do what is best for you and your family. Companies move on and do not take it personal when someone decides not to come back. The best thing you can do is to have an open and honest discussion with your manager or HR or whomever you regularly work with when you are sure. That said, maternity leave is a journey and you might feel differently in a couple weeks. So I would probably advise waiting until 2 to 3 weeks before you’re supposed to go back, and then talk to your manager about flexible options and your concerns with your travel time. I always recommend that people ask about flexible work options and ask what the possibilities for work from home or short work week or even a shortened day what look like. You never know and sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised what your company is able to do for you. But in the end don’t feel guilty, companies are very fast-moving and they don’t take this personally.