Maternity Leave: Five Return-to-Work
Options
Like most new moms, you probably have mixed feelings
about returning to work: You need or want to, but you
don't. Yes. No. Maybe. Partly. What? How? Aghhh! So
confusing.
To help you sort it out, here are five major
return-to-work options for new moms. You can mix and
match them to suit your needs, or use different ones at
different times. But first, know your options. They are:
1. Gradual Return to Work
You can ease back into your full-time job
over a period of several weeks after your baby's
arrival, whether you're eligible for FMLA or not. See
Maternity Leave:
Return to Work: Transition Phase to explore your
options further.
2. Flexible Return to Work
Lots of new moms prefer this option which combines
flexibility with full-time hours (through telecommuting
or a compressed workweek) or reduced hours (part-time or
job sharing arrangement).
Solution: Propose a flexible work arrangement
as part of your post-maternity leave, return-to-work
plan. For specific language to use when proposing this
option, see
Maternity Leave: Return to Work, Long-Term Plan.
Find out how other new moms
got their manager to approve a flexible
work arrangement.
3. Work FROM Home
Also known as telecommuting or telework, this
option would fall into the Flexible Return to Work
category above. But you may want to ease back into
work by performing some of your duties from home
before stepping into the office regularly.
Solution: Propose telecommuting before your
return to the office. For specific language to use when
proposing this option, see Scenario 3 in
Maternity Leave:
Return to Work, Transition Phase.
4. Stay at Home
Before or after your return to work, you
decide this is the best option for you and your family
right now. But understand the long-term career and
financial impact of this decision before taking the
leap. Consider proposing a flexible work arrangement as an in-between step to
see if that delivers the work and family fit you need.
Do an online search for
“stay at home calculators”
to gauge if it's an affordable option for you.
5.
Work AT Home
Stay-at-home moms often morph into
work-at-home moms to earn supplemental income and to
keep their skills fresh. WAHMs as they're sometimes
labeled, earn money from home without a traditional job.
There are many roads to go with this option but many of
them filled with potholes (i.e., scams) and dead ends,
so proceed with caution.
If leaving your job and full-time income for a home
business feels as risky as cliff-diving, consider
blending flexible
part-time work and a
home business as a way to gradually
get there.
With these five options to choose from, pick the best
return-to-work road for you and your family.
If you have any questions, please
contact me.
Return to Maternity Leave
Articles Index
Do you need help deciding your best return-to-work option?
Visit Maternity Leave Mentor for advice by phone.
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