maternity leave and having a tactless boss

[meluv2shop12]

so.. i'm about a month and a half away from going on maternity leave.. i've worked my buns off throughout my pregnancy, putting in long hours and implementing a successful project...

now, my boss's boss comes up to me this morning and asks me how i plan to disburse my workload while i'm gone... he said something to the effect of "well i need you to plan out who's going to do what part of your job while you are away.. keep in mind that if everything is managed while you are gone, then you'd have to ask yourself what the company needs you for..."

i was floored! i did not expect that from a higher up! i mean, obviously, what he said is true. it is something that everyone thinks about but probably do not expect to hear from a 'boss'

does that mean that if i plan my leave properly to assure a smooth transition in my absence, then i risk losing my job? maybe i should plan on doing a horrible job so the company will miss me more and want me back?

of course the latter is out of the question. i can't make myself do a bad job coz it's just against everything i believe in.. but perhaps that's my cue to start looking for another job...

this is so unfair! i already have a lot to worry about, being completely unprepared in terms of the baby stuff (since i worked long hours in the last few months, i have not really had the time to do maternity stuff like reading books and preparing the nursery!) like i really need to worry about not having a job to come back to at the same time!

goes to show that no matter how hard you work, employers just have no loyalty, sympathy, or appreciation for its employees :(

[nvie]

Did our bosses go to the same school? Don't worry, I think he just feels insecure about you going on maternity leave.

I delivered 4 weeks early so I didn't have the chance to assign my workload. He was not happy and commented that pregnant woman are not productive in a weekly meeting with all his managers. Obviously he wanted to get the message across to me. So I called him and inform him to call me if there's anything. He said OK, being really nice on the phone. I just hate that he doesn't have the guts to tell it to me.

In fact, I volunteered to go back to the office for 2 events while I was on maternity leave and DH was really mad but I told him I didn't want to make things difficult when I go back to work after 2 months maternity leave.

After I went back to work, I requested for an extended lunch hour (2 hours) so that I can drive back and nurse my DS. He said OK but commented to a colleague that I was being unproductive again. So I was mad and had a face to face conversation with him regarding this matter and I told him that I have never ever taken advantage of the organisation during my 11 years of service. I am a senior in the organisation and I don't think I am being demanding. So yes, there are tactless bosses around but most importantly, my message gets into his head!

You should not stress yourself out at this point. Just plan to assign your workload and assume that you'll go back to your job after maternity leave. There's no reason to lay you off just like that. Even if your boss is going to lay you off, at least you know that organisation is not worth it.

By the way, after I started working, all managers were given a Blackberry so that we are contactable 24/7. My fellow managers who are also full time working moms and I have a common motto "DON'T BE STUPID, just get the job done and continue to receive our salaries!". I think it's best to find that balance, think work during office hours and family only when you get home. At the end of the day, it's family first because you can always get another job if you are not happy! It works for me and my boss stopped barking!

[Baby Boo]

my boss doesnt seem to care im preggers either.. im panicking abotu my job too but luckily things are so slow around here im not going to be missing any major things when i go on maternity leave.. however im worried also because of that they will think that im not needed when i get back.. its a double edge sword and one im soo worried about to be honest...

[Korilynn]

I have no advice, but just wanted to say WHAT A JERK! Sorry you are being spoken to this way when you are obviously an asset to the company!

[sweetneet]

Originally Posted by meluv2shop12

so.. i'm about a month and a half away from going on maternity leave.. i've worked my buns off throughout my pregnancy, putting in long hours and implementing a successful project... now, my boss's boss comes up to me this morning and asks me how i plan to disburse my workload while i'm gone... he said something to the effect of "well i need you to plan out who's going to do what part of your job while you are away.. keep in mind that if everything is managed while you are gone, then you'd have to ask yourself what the company needs you for..." i was floored! i did not expect that from a higher up! i mean, obviously, what he said is true. it is something that everyone thinks about but probably do not expect to hear from a 'boss' does that mean that if i plan my leave properly to assure a smooth transition in my absence, then i risk losing my job? maybe i should plan on doing a horrible job so the company will miss me more and want me back? of course the latter is out of the question. i can't make myself do a bad job coz it's just against everything i believe in.. but perhaps that's my cue to start looking for another job... this is so unfair! i already have a lot to worry about, being completely unprepared in terms of the baby stuff (since i worked long hours in the last few months, i have not really had the time to do maternity stuff like reading books and preparing the nursery!) like i really need to worry about not having a job to come back to at the same time! goes to show that no matter how hard you work, employers just have no loyalty, sympathy, or appreciation for its employees :(

OMG, i cannot believe he said something like that, I would have been furious, as well as worried too. Argh, it bothers me how so many employers treat pregnant women, i know some like to rub in the fact that you're taking a few months off as if you're going on some paradise vacation at the company's expense. I don't know, hopefully that was just his (tactless) way of saying that he hopes you maintain the same level of productivity before/after the maternity leave... its bad but i think a lot of bosses feel like they have to sort of scare women with the possibility of losing their jobs as a way to tell them to keep up working and not to slack off. i agree with nvie, he probably just feels insecure about you going on maternity leave..

[KC1984]

Awww hun what an ar$e you must work for the same boss as my friend.

[angfento]

Yep what a jerk!
My boss has been an Arse also, but he's been a lot better at keeping it quiet, and only saying things when other people aren't around for evidence. It's illegal for people to treat you that way, or for you to feel threatened by being pregnant or being on maternity leave!

[jenniletv]

OMG I would have cussed him out....raging hormones and all. What a jerk!!!!! They can not fire you while you are on maternity leave but it sounds like if you are efficient and delegate your work load like a good employee before you leave you may not have a job when you come back. That is not right!!!! I wish I had a tactful way to tell you to deal with a boss like that. If it were me I would delegate some of the work load to the most incompetent person you have. And the rest to the others. But that's just me.

[ilovepinkhearts]

im sorry!! what a jerk!!

and if you are in the US then you can't lose your job because of maternity leave [if the company has all the requirements met, ie # of employess...etc]. if he tries anything like that then you should be in contact with a lawyer. you have the right to have children and to work as well.

http://life.familyeducation.com/mate...ncy/57441.html

[loveBV]

Wow, that's a terrible thing to say to an employee.... I don't know where you're from, but there's FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) that your boss needs to comply to. If not, you can potentially sue him/her.

[NYCBelle]

isn't what he said illegal or discrimination??? They can get sued if they fired you for going on maternity leave.

[TravelBug]

I don't know how big your company is and if you have an HR department/person you can go talk to. I would. STAT! That's not acceptable, even if he was half joking. Legally they can't fire you when you are on maternity leave, FMLA provides job protection for 12 weeks (assuming you are in the US?), but I'd be bothered by what he implied when he said 'if everything is managed when you are gone, then you'd have to ask yourself what the company needs you for'. What a JERK!!!

I know many companies coach their managers to be extra sensitive to employees who are going on or returning from any leave. Sounds like yours needs to beef up HR training.

[viba424]

What an ASS! He is playing with fire if he tries to discriminate against you.

[nifferchic71]

I would have said "F U" and called my attorney!!! That lawsuit/settlement would give you enough money to stay home for years!! I know that's easy to say, but that's how I feel right about now.

[kimberf]

Originally Posted by TravelBug

I don't know how big your company is and if you have an HR department/person you can go talk to. I would. STAT! That's not acceptable, even if he was half joking. Legally they can't fire you when you are on maternity leave, FMLA provides job protection for 12 weeks (assuming you are in the US?), but I'd be bothered by what he implied when he said 'if everything is managed when you are gone, then you'd have to ask yourself what the company needs you for'. What a JERK!!! I know many companies coach their managers to be extra sensitive to employees who are going on or returning from any leave. Sounds like yours needs to beef up HR training.

Good advice! I was thinking the same thing -- go talk to HR. I worked for a big company, and they handled all the leave stuff with kid gloves to make sure there's not even a remote chance of discrimination claims. There's a good chance your HR dept. would chew your boss out if they knew he said something like this.