Hellobee Boards

I've spoken to other women in my office about this recently and it doesn't look good any way you slice it. One woman currently out on maternity leave requested to be able to work from home on Friday's and was denied. I've also heard that another woman who has been working 3 day workweeks will no longer be able to do that starting this year, they are taking that benefit away from mothers - even at a pay cut.

My sister works a 4 day workweek at 75% of the pay, but still has the same workload she did at a 5 day workweek. The only benefit is obviously she gets to be home on Fridays and not respond to calls or emails, but the rest of the week is hellish.

I think what I will do is not request any kind of regular work from home compensation, but ask my Boss for flex work from home days while providing proof of childcare. I think she would be a lot more agreeable to something like that. It isn't a defined schedule, just maybe 4 or 5 flex days a month or something. Right now, I'm not pregnant and I'm not a mother and she lets me work from home anytime I ask, which is usually a couple times a month. So I think as long as I'm getting my work done she won't have a problem with giving me a couple more days a month.

I think it's just a personal decision and it depends on your priorities. I'm a sahm so we only have one income. We're pretty broke, but I'd rather be broke and have that time with my lo
Other people would rather not have to worry about money and work a little more. I don't think there's a right or wrong, just different people's preference.

I gave up my full-time teaching job when I became pregnant.

Fortunately/unfortunately, it has taken until literally 2 weeks before my leave to find and train a replacement, and I told them right after my first doctor's appointment.

I will return to work, but minimally and as an administrative assistant instead of an instructor- we don't want to pay for day care, so I will work on my husband's week day off and fill in hours as needed in the evenings working on projects.

Do you have the option to start back on the four day work week for a few months until you get used to being back at work and then ramp back up to 5 days/ People have done this in my office and it seems to have worked really well for them.

Many women in my office are 80%-ers and take Friday off. I would if we had a daycare setup that wouldn't require me to pay for Friday, whether we used it or not. I actually also think that if I knew I'd have Fridays off, I'd probably be more productive Mon-Thurs because I wouldn't be trying to fit in things that could otherwise be done on Fridays (like appointments and errands and emails and other stuff).
I will say, however, that my supervisor is only technically supposed to be 60% and in the office on Tues/Wed/Thurs, but she has so many responsibilities that she can't pass off that she ends up working way more hours than that and kind of gets screwed... so before you take the official cut in hours and pay and benefits, make sure expectations are clear that unless there are extenuating circumstances, Fridays are not "out of the office but on call," they are "unavailable and workload/expectations should be adjusted accordingly."