Updated at: 29-04-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

When should I tell my supervisor that I won’t be returning to work? When should I decide that I don’t want to return to work? How do I come to the decision that I will not return to my job?

Okay. So far, I’ve spent a few weeks researching this topic. However, it can be a frustrating issue to learn about because there are no clear-cut instructions or even a broad consensus. Because of this awful behavior, a lot of bad counsel, bad behavior, and generic hate is hurled at unwitting pregnant onlookers. It’s mostly a lot of families trying to figure out how to deal with a difficult financial, ethical, and personal dilemma.

Quitting Your Job After Maternity Leave: Issues to Consider

There are several practical and legal considerations for women who are deciding whether or not to return to work when their maternity leave ends. There are, of course, monetary concerns at the outset: To what extent can you keep your family financially secure while also obtaining health insurance? Do you have enough money saved up for a long period of time? Is it possible that your time off will affect your future professional prospects?

How To Quit Your Job After Maternity Leave - Krostrade

Are New Parents Entitled to Accommodations?

Many women are unable or unwilling to give up their jobs after the birth of a child for various reasons. Of course, there are some women who adore their professions and intend to continue working after having children. In some cases, women may fear that taking a prolonged sabbatical from work could harm their earning capacity or professional opportunities. If you find yourself in this predicament, you might consider talking to your employer about other options for achieving a better work-life balance.

Parental leave or flexible work schedules are not legally required by employers to accommodate parents. Many states compel employers to accommodate pregnant employees’ physical limitations, however this privilege typically expires following the delivery of a child. Your state’s law may determine whether or not you are eligible for accommodations related to your pregnancy, such as if you were injured during childbirth.

Even while your organization may make similar accommodations to other employees for various reasons, it may not discriminate against someone because of their protected status. For example, a corporation cannot offer part-time employment to new fathers, but not to new mothers. The same corporation that regularly enables schedule alterations for its employees to return to school or pursue hobbies may not refuse the same rights to new mothers.

It’s possible to get accommodations even if your employer isn’t required to do so. Temporary part-time work, shift scheduling changes that allow for better child care management (such as earlier or later arrival or departure times, working more or fewer days, and so on), doing some of your work from home or limiting business travel may be possible if the alternative is to lose a valued employee. It’s not going to harm you to inquire.

Can I Quit During or After Maternity Leave?

Nevertheless, there may be legal repercussions for resigning, such as:

  • You won’t be able to collect unemployment benefit. Those who quit their jobs voluntarily are not eligible for unemployment benefits; only those who lose their positions are. Even while many states allow workers who leave for personal reasons to be eligible for unemployment benefits, leaving your job to stay at home with a healthy newborn will disqualify you.
  • Your health insurance premiums may be refunded to you. Employers are required by law to continue your health insurance coverage while you are on family and medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Keeping your health insurance coverage in place is expensive, and if you opt not to return from your leave, your employer has the right to seek reimbursement for the costs it incurred. As a result of this, you’ll be responsible for both the employer’s portion of the premium and your own portion if you didn’t pay the premium and the company paid for you. If you return to work for more than 30 days, you lose your right to reimbursement. Reimbursement clauses are comparable in several states’ family leave laws.

Make sure you know how quitting will effect your other benefits by checking your company’s handbook. When you retire, for example, will you have access to all of your vested benefits? Is it possible that a signing bonus will have to be repaid in full or in part? It’s important to know what the restrictions are when it comes to business property like a car or a laptop. Before you make a final decision, you’ll need to know all of the implications of quitting.

How to Quit While on Maternity Leave

The technicalities of quitting, such as how much notice to provide and how to explain your choice will need to be worked out once you’ve decided to go. Generally speaking, you are not obligated to offer any specific notice, although two weeks’ notice is the norm.

Your choices here will be influenced by the kind of connection you want to keep with your employer and how you anticipate your employer reacting to those choices. The more time you give ahead of time, the easier it will be for your employer to find a successor and make future preparations. If you ever need a reference for a new job, you’ll be in the best possible position if you do this.

On the other hand, if you give your employer notice that you will not be returning to work, they are free to terminate your employment and find someone else. If you are on FMLA leave and give your employer notice that you will not be returning to work, they are nonetheless required by law to return you to your previous position. You may lose access to health insurance and other benefits, as well as any paid leave programs given by your company. When you leave your job, you may be able to keep your health insurance via your previous employer under COBRA, but you will be responsible for the whole price.) It’s for this reason that a large number of employees are reluctant to provide advance notice of their resignation.

Just because you need financial security doesn’t mean you should ignore what you know about your job or do something that doesn’t feel right. You have to decide what’s best for you. You should strive to provide notice to your employer face-to-face and emphasize the positive aspects of the position. Even if you don’t need a reference in the future, you’ll want to retain a good working relationship with your former company in order to keep your professional contacts.

When You’re Not Going Back

The Perfect-World Option

The sooner you inform them of your plans to stay in the house, the better. It’s a no-brainer that you should stay at home throughout the third trimester of your pregnancy, leaving your company with an ideal opportunity to hire and train a replacement.

Pros: You won’t be one of “those” pregnant ladies who take advantage of the company’s leave benefits, thus your professional reputation will remain intact. On top of all that, you’re not using the paid time off your employer offers.

Cons: If your kid is born on your last day of work, you may not be eligible for any paid maternity leave benefits, unless you arrange for some part-time or freelance work to tie up loose ends after your baby is born. If your employer decides to fire you before the end of your notice period, you will be without health insurance. While pregnant women cannot be fired, they can be laid off if they announce their desire to leave the company.) That means you could end up paying a lot of money for COBRA or having to switch plans and providers in the middle of a medical claim-intensive period. Even if your circumstances changes after the kid is born and your partner loses their employment and/or health insurance, this could create some financial hardship or the worry that you’re burning your bridges BEFORE you cross them. There are some women who can’t make the decision “for sure” until the baby is born. OH YEAH!

2 Templates for a Resignation Letter After Maternity Leave | LoveToKnow

Is It Right for You? Legally and ethically, if you have already decided to stay at home, this is your decision. There are no excuses for anything less than total honesty when it comes to insurance scams. It’s your duty to know if you’ve done your homework. Maintaining good relations with your employer is essential if you want to keep the door to freelancing or a career comeback open.

About two months before I was scheduled to “share my plans,” my boss at work requested a meeting. I had already made preparations to return to work, but now would have been the ideal time to offer my services as a stay-at-home parent (or desire to drop to part-time). Then I could have laid out some major projects and goals from my to-do list that I would like to finish, and offered to interview and train a replacement, positioning myself as a valuable team member for the next few months, greatly reducing the chances that they would have preemptively laid me off right then and there.

The Not-So-Perfect-World Option

Informing them that you will not be returning as scheduled while you are still on leave is a good idea.

Pros: Benefits! Paid time off! No disruption in your health care through the birth and multiple well-baby visits! A chance to actually live the life of a SAHM before committing to it full-time! Plus, if you really hadn’t made up your mind, you’re not REALLY leaving them in the lurch and defrauding the system, right? Right?

Is It Right for You? Is this your final decision? Not then. Maternity leave is more of a benefit to employees who remain in their jobs. It’s not like a bank of unused vacation days that they owe you. For women who intend to return to the workforce after maternity leave (however crappy of a design it is in this country).

If you wait until the 11th week to tell them you won’t be returning, it’s still different. Giving them as much advance warning as possible is essential. Otherwise, you’ll be straying into morally dubious territory. Short-sighted to assume that you will be a SAHM forever and ever AMEN and will never regret robbing your bridges at gunpoint before setting them on fire.

While some believe that it’s not cool to squeeze every last penny out of a job before quitting, others claim that it is. Whenever there’s talk of a maternity leave makeover in this nation, there are those who have bitter stories to tell about how a lady really messed their office out with her clandestine leave-taking when she clearly never had any intention of returning to the workplace. I’ve got one of those stories, too: I had a coworker who was an employee at a company that was going through financial difficulties and was being laid off on a regular basis. She was offered a severance package late in her pregnancy to save the job of another employee in the event that she planned to depart anyhow. She declined, kept her work, and took a leave of absence… Immediately before her anticipated return, she abruptly walked away from the project.

The Real World Option

Real life, on the other hand, tends to deviate from a predetermined plan. In the event that your child was born prematurely, has health issues, or you were placed on bedrest and your vacation time was disrupted, you may find yourself with no alternative but to go back to work. Like if your child’s daycare is canceled, your infant is refusing a bottle, or your workplace says it will be moving four exits up the most congested freeway in your neighborhood, you should be prepared.

After your kid is born, if you wish to stay at home with him or her, you should resign in person in the presence of your HR representative and your employer. Organize your papers and to-do lists and create a job description to assist with the transition. Work from home, come in for interviews and meetings, do anything you can to help. There is nothing more important than a positive public image before hurling yourself out the door and disappearing into thin air.

I probably made a total of 25 promises to various people that I would return to work following my leave of absence. They didn’t believe me. This meant that quitting as soon as short-term disability benefits ran out seemed like a reasonable option because that’s what everyone else did. Despite my assurances, I was still apprehensive of my choice. We were on the waiting list for half a dozen different daycares, and there was no guarantee that we would get accepted.

I wasn’t sure if my pay was worth the cost of daycare and commuting, or if I was really interested in my career anymore, as freelance writing prospects seemed to be within my reach. In addition, I didn’t know if I’d enjoy being at home with a baby all day every day, whether I’d be nursing, bottle-feeding, suffering from postpartum depression, or so in love with parenthood that I was prepared to do whatever it took to soak up every second of it. When the kid was born, I wasn’t ready to make the decision, so I returned to work. It was a combination of the fact that I’d committed and the uncertainty I felt. I was convinced after a few months. Fortunately, maternity leave benefits had long since vanished, and I was able to leave the company like any other employee: with two weeks’ notice, a letter of resignation, and a contract arrangement that allowed me to continue a number of my duties from home until a replacement could be found or I no longer had an interest in the position..

It’s still the best decision I’ve ever made, but it was also the most difficult.

How To Write a Resignation Letter After Maternity Leave

What is a resignation letter after maternity leave?

It’s a written resignation letter you’d give to your workplace after taking time off to care for your newborn. This letter serves as the official notification of your desire to retire from your duties at work.

Rethinking one’s personal and professional life may be the reason some new parents choose not to return to work following maternity leave. As a new parent, you may decide to quit for various reasons, including the cost of child care, the desire to spend more time with your kid, or the opportunity to pursue a new career path.

Why is it important to send a resignation letter after maternity leave?

In order to give your employer adequate notice and explain your intentions to depart, you should draft and provide a resignation letter once you return from maternity leave. Your determination to maintain excellent relations with your company and your professionalism are demonstrated when you submit a resignation letter to your employer. This is very useful if you ever decide to return to the business.

How to write a resignation letter after maternity leave

Your letter of resignation should be succinct, to the point, and relevant. Making it easy to scan and understand for your company is a plus. Resignation after maternity leave might be as simple as following these steps:

1. Think about why you’re resigning from the position.

Make a note of the reasons you’re resigning before you begin writing your letter to ensure that this is the best course of action for you. You can use this list to briefly explain why you’re leaving once you’re sure of your reasoning. Reminding yourself of crucial aspects of your personal life while you consider your reasons for resigning will boost your sense of self-assurance and self-reliance as you step down from your position.

2. Start with a formal greeting.

Begin the letter with a formal salutation that includes the name of the person who will be reading it, whether it’s your manager, HR representative, or another member of the team. A salutation like “Dear Ms. Smith” or “Hello, Mr. Daniels” will help you get things started. This adds a personal touch while still maintaining the letter’s professionalism.

3. State your purpose for writing.

The first paragraph of your letter should describe why you’re writing it. Declare your resignation from your current position at the beginning of your sentence. This makes it easier for the reader to get a sense of the letter’s overall objective even before they start reading it.

4. Include your final employment date.

Include the precise date of your last day of work once you’ve stated your reason for writing. Include a date two weeks after the date you’re sending your letter if you plan to stay on for two more weeks to help with the transition. Employers can better prepare for your absence if you do this. Your job documentation will also require this date.

5. Provide brief reasoning for your resignation.

If you’d like to explain why you’re resigning, you can do so, but it’s not a must. To assist the employer understand and support you at this difficult time, include this portion in your letter of resignation.

6. Offer your assistance during the transition.

If you want to make sure that your transition is easy for them to adjust to, consider volunteering your help. As a result of your lengthy maternity leave, you may have already worked with your coworkers to design a transition strategy. You can still help out in any way possible to make your long-term absence more bearable. For example, you may volunteer to be a part of the hiring process or train your successor.

7. Thank your manager for the opportunity.

The final sentence of your essay should be a thank-you note to the firm for the opportunity to work there. This demonstrates your gratitude for the chance, as well as your desire to depart on amicable terms and your conviction that your time in the position was well spent learning new abilities. An example of a quality or experience you got from the position might be appropriate here. Your signature and your name should appear below your signature at the end of the letter.

Tips for writing an effective resignation letter after maternity leave

After your maternity leave is up, you’ll want to resign from your job. Here are some pointers to get you started:

Consider discussing your decision in person or over the phone.

Consider emailing your resignation letter to your supervisor or HR manager while you’re still on maternity leave and asking if they’d like to talk about it in person or over the phone. This provides you a chance to describe your argument in detail to help them better comprehend why you’re resigning from your current position. It also offers them an opportunity to ask you any additional questions to ensure that the transition is smoothed out successfully.

Include proper formatting.

Make sure your letter is formatted correctly before sending it. Fonts like Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman should be used at an 11- or 12-point size. Single-spaced text with one-inch margins is the standard.

Proofread your document

Reread your letter after you’ve finished typing it to make sure it’s free of spelling and grammar mistakes. To be sure you haven’t missed anything, read it out loud. Asking a friend or coworker to look it through might be a good idea. As a last step, ask them to double-check that everything is relevant and error-free.

How to Quit Your Job After Maternity Leave - Krostrade

Resignation letter after maternity leave template

Use this template to help you create a superb letter of resignation following maternity leave, and then make any necessary changes:

Sincerely, [Name of Your Company]

[State that you’re resigning from your position and the name of the company in your letter of resignation]. [Select the day on which you will be done working.] [If desired, briefly explain why you’re departing.]

[Ask if you can lend a hand to make the transfer easier.] Express your appreciation for the chance.]

Sincerely,

First and last name, please.

Resignation letter after maternity leave example

You can use this sample resignation letter to help you write a succinct, informative letter to your employer:

Jordan Taylor, please accept my heartfelt thanks.

Two weeks from now, I’m writing to submit my resignation letter from my account manager position at Brand Solutions Inc., effective Dec. 20, 2020. As you may know, I just had my first child at the end of October and have chosen that staying at home with the kids is the best option for our family.

As a courtesy to my coworkers, I will be returning to work for the next two weeks. Please know that I’ll be available to answer questions about critical projects, assist in the hiring process, and give training for my replacement. This is an honor to be working for your organization, and I truly appreciate it. I’ve had a wonderful three years working with such a dynamic group of individuals.

Sincerely,

Leslie Parker is the author of the book

FAQs

Do I have to pay back maternity pay if I resign?

In the event that you do not re-enter the workforce, you will not be required to pay back any of your statutory maternity pay or Maternity Allowance.

What happens if I don’t return to work after maternity leave?

Remember that even if you don’t return to work, you are still entitled to any remaining vacation time, including the time you spent on maternity leave, so don’t forget that. Statutory maternity pay will continue to be paid even if you decide not to return to work during your maternity leave.

Can I hand my notice in while on maternity leave?

If you are pregnant and want to resign from your work, you should do so in the normal manner, providing your employer with the proper notice time. Your employment will come to an end when your notice period expires, but you are still entitled to your regular salary and benefits during that time.

Can I go back to work 2 weeks after having a baby?

A postpartum “disability” leave of six weeks is considered the standard. Some women may feel that they can return to work sooner depending on the demands of their job and the amount of support that they have at home.

What to say when quitting a job you just started?

After giving birth, most women take six weeks of “disability” leave. Depending on the demands of their profession and the level of care they receive at home, some women may be able to return to work sooner than others.

Final Thoughts

It’s understandable that some of you may have had second thoughts about returning. How and when did you tell your employer about your decision, and how did it go? Do you have any second thoughts now? Is there anyone else out there who’s done anything even close to this?