I am 24 weeks pregnant and I asked my work if I could cut my hours back. And they said no. What should I do?

Question

I am anemic...and I get very tired. Working F/T is very hard for me. Some people can do, some can't. I am not gonna force myself.
I also don't work for the money...so I can quit and stay home. But what would you do? (PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE)

Answer 1

You can always get the doctor to write you a note saying how many hours a week you can work and then they HAVE to listen. Depending on what kind of work you do and how it will disrupt the work flow...they could send you home altogether. But it depends
If you can stay home and not worry about money why are you there? Just know sitting around waiting for the baby to get here makes it feel a lot longer if you aren't working. Unless of course you have 3 or 4 other kids at home to occupy your time. lol

Answer 2

I have two co-workers who had similar problems. One got a doctor's statement restricting the number of hours she could work each day. She was working 4 hours a day before she finally went out on maternity leave. The other had to go on maternity leave early because of her high blood pressure. So, I would talk to your doctor about possible restrictions. Your employer is required to accommodate you if I understand the laws correctly. Another option is to think about taking a FMLA (Family Medical Leave of Absense) which is a 12 week leave. Your employer is required to allow this leave by law. Before this runs out you can decide whether to come back or not. You need to talk to your Human Resource person or someone who knows the laws in your area. When it finally comes down to it your health and baby are more important than the job. My wife had a college degree and we could have used the money but she chose to stay home with our kids. I think she enjoyed it and so did our kids. Now that they are starting off to college she is out in the work force again part-time. The good part is I'm finally making really good money so she can pick the job she wants. Have fun Mom.

Answer 3

What I suspect is that your employer is hoping that you'll quit before they hire a replacement worker and pay for maternity leave. Employers lose a lot of money when someone quits immediately after maternity leave and therefore aren't sympathetic. What I have seen recently (she made the same request) is someone who took as much vacation time as they could just before maternity leave, took maternity leave, then quit. You could do this but you won't get a good recommendation if you plan to go back to work in the near future. Other options are finding a sendentary job if you don't have one now or, quitting now (this might be the best option to relieve stress on yourself and the baby). Good luck deciding and best wishes to you and your family.

Answer 4

Why would you continue to work for such an unfeeling company? You and your baby are much more important than being miserable all the way through your pregnancy. I would most definitely quit - then if you are feeling better and less tired, you could always look for something with only a few hours a day to fill in the time. Or take this time to enjoy being pregnant.

Answer 5

Is there some way your employer would allow you to work from home? Perhaps a job rotation? Otherwise I would say that your health, both physical, mental and emotional, not to mention the health of the fetus, would be the primary concern at this point. If your employer is not flexible and considerate enough to recognize your condition, I'd say leave. NO COMPANY is more important than the INDIVIDUAL!! Hope you have a wonderful pregnancy

Answer 6

Your question asks what would I do.

In a position where I did not have to be working for the money, I would then consider the employer. I was hired to work certain hours. I now would like to reduce those hours, but my employer has not agreed to this because I was hired to do a job and they need me, not because they are mean or selfish.

If I felt that my health was being compromised, or that I was not contributing to the best of my ability to my work I would give notice. After the baby was born, I would reconsider entering the workforce.

Answer 7

Well, legally they can fire you and you will not be able to collect unemployment because, and I know it sounds wrong and mean but its the law, you chose to be pregnant so if that interferes with your job then its considered that you voluntarily chose it before your job. If you are that far ahead in your pregnancy and you don't really need the money to survive I would advice you to stay home and relax. Enjoy and pamper yourself for the last three months. Think of it this way-for the next 3-4 years your night sleep will not be regular and you will not have that much time for yourself. So take full advantage of it now.

Answer 8

Your employer is only required to give you whatever amount of time the state laws say. If you are asking for more than that you should just quit. Your company is not required to work around your hours because you can't handle them. Find out what your state laws mandate for maternity/pregnancy leave. Some companies will work with their employees if they value them enough but you shouldn't expect them to go beyond what the laws state. You should just leave especially if you don't need the money.

Answer 9

First off - you need to worry about your health and that of your baby. Everything else is secondary right now!

Try getting a doctor's note from your OB recommending you cut to part time work. Otherwise, since you said you can afford it, take a leave of absence from your job.

I can't understand WHY an employer would say no to cutting back hours... I don't get it.

Good luck and feel well! =)

Answer 10

you can do like i did>>>>>i quit and found a wonderful job selling candles!! i too could not work full time when i was pregnant...i was also anemic and had severe morning(noon and night!!) sickness..i was not eligible for disability because my "injury" did not occur at work(didnt get pregnant there!!) and i was not eligible for maternity leave because i was less than 6 months along!!!!!! so i was forced to quit and find a work from home job!! it was easier planning parties at night(2-3 hrs) than trying to work an 8 hr shift!!not to mention i make more money doing parties then i did off my weekly paycheck!! my company is wonderful..there is nooooo minimum to sell so if you feel like doing nothing for a few months its OK!!i can telll you more if this sounds like something you would be interested in@ i cant list all the wonderful things about mia bella candles in this space!! who doesnt love candles!!!email me for more info ...i will gladly explain everything for you........ps good luck..i have 3 children..i feel your emotions!!! [e-mail]