I got two weeks paid. The baby is four weeks old, my partner is still recovering, and my mother can only come over a couple of days a week. My manager hasn't said no to unpaid leave. She said 'let's see what the quarter looks like', which in sales means no. Did anyone here do this? Did it hurt you at work later, or had everyone forgotten by the next appraisal?
Different situation, since my partner is self-employed, but my partner cut down to half days for the first five weeks after our son came. The business survived. What we both say now, eleven years later, is that skipping those weeks would have been the regret. On 'let's see what the quarter looks like', I'd give her specific dates and a handover plan. It's harder to keep saying 'let's see' to dates.
I took unpaid leave after my maternity leave ran out, about six weeks. My appraisal that year was average, and I'll never know if that was the leave or me. Worth it either way. Is there some work-from-home arrangement in between that she might say yes to more easily?
Seconding the in-between option. When our son was born I asked for three weeks of working from home with no travel instead of leave, and it was approved the same day. It wasn't rest, but I was there for the nights and the doctor visits.
Is there a written policy on unpaid leave, or is it fully her call? At my last job it went to HR once you applied in writing, and managers had less say than they acted like. Worth reading the leave policy before your next conversation with her.
Read it. Unpaid leave up to 30 days needs only the manager's approval, beyond that HR. So it is her call. Asked again, this time with dates. She said two weeks. I'll take it.
Keep going
More from the parents who were here.