Feeling Pressured to Quit After Maternity Leave: Is This Treatment Fair? How Can I Navigate This Situation?

Hi,

Need help. I was working with a company for 3 years and received awards from them and also from the client. However, in the last two months (after returning from maternity leave), I have not been selected for any projects as we do not have many clients to work with. They have only given me 5 requirements, and after sending CVs, they ask us to put those positions on hold. I used to handle clients, but they have now assigned that task to my junior. They are now pressuring me to work at a client location far from the main city. How can I manage this when I have a 4-month-old child at home? I requested them to wait for 2 more months until my child turns 6 months old, but they are insisting that it's now or never – either quit the job with a notice period of only 5 days. Is it fair for a company to do this to a consistent performer of the past 3 years? Please advise. I have all the supporting documents. What can be done?

Thank you.

Hi Mr. Rama,

There are always two sides to the coin. Considering your side, if we go, then what I feel is that since the work is less now as you said, the company might be feeling your salary as a burden on them in the recession time. Also, your junior must have gotten trained in your absence, so the company can get the work done from the junior at a lower cost.

Transferring you to some other place of work, it is very clear that the company may not want to continue with you, so they want you to resign. They have transferred you to a distant place considering your family's needs. You may not go so far and will resign.

As far as the notice period is concerned, it should be as per the terms of appointment.

Regards,
Harshad

Thank you, but does that mean that one should not be loyal to the company? Should one always check and think of themselves? Especially when I was working on the client side, they appreciated and wanted me to work directly with them on their payroll. I refused as I was very loyal to the company. Now that I am going there, is it right? I don't know, but what example would be set for others?

Rama,

I am not sure if things are going right with every company in the recession period. It will adopt and change the style to survive this recession phase. If we have to survive, we need to change fast and ensure that our contribution and value is much higher than earlier. This is not advice but a suggestion during the troubled times.

On the separation clause, it's again debatable since the notice period will be paid to the employee on early exit on company request. Please check if it's mentioned in your letter or exit policy.

Regards

Hi Rama,

No, it does not mean so. Your inner self-consciousness/belief should be true to what you are doing. If you think the decisions you are taking are morally correct, then you should not be concerned about what others think of your decisions.

Regards,
Harshad

Hi, I do have a clause, and when I checked for that clause, I was being told yeah, for that, we are making you resign, or else you would not get your full and final. Today they are giving me an option to work on a very low salary. I also came to know it was due to the input of my new manager who has joined on Nov 1st. He had some problem with the way I talk to his friend who is working in our organization.

He is also saying I don't go out for team gatherings after office hours; I give importance to my 4-month-old kid. Now tell me, who is wrong? He himself is unmarried; should these kinds of statements be made like this: saying one should not recruit females who have kids or should not allow them to come back after their maternity leave. Is this right??

Rama,

Yes, I do agree with the fact that it's not right to make statements about female employees. You are eligible to raise a case of harassment at work with your reporting manager if your company policy allows for it. You can inform his reporting manager or the concerned HR if you have one.

Feedback from the manager is always important for an employee to continue in any company. A suggestion to come out of this situation is to have an open discussion with him and let him know your constraints.

I could sense that your boss is the type who needs to be pampered... so do that. Go to him and make him feel that he is important. Involve him in all your decision-making and consider his suggestions even if you are not going to implement them.

Regards

Dear Rama,

I understand your problem. However, you have taken your maternity leave. After the 3 months, the company is not liable to give any more maternity leave. They have full right to place (post) you. Also, it depends upon the company HR policy how to treat a new mother especially when she is back from maternity leave. We live in the world of gender equality. We ask for equal payment. Beyond a certain point, we should not ask for personal favors. If so, the company will have to take care of all the women employees.

If you don't want to leave your child, ask for a without pay leave. This way your problems will be solved. Accept the challenge. YOU HAVE TO DECIDE.

Thanks & Regards, Sonali Wagle [Login to view]

I have a slab for calculation as below:

1-16000 60
16001-18000 55
18001-20000 50
20001-22000 45
22001-24000 40

Now, I have to calculate on the value 18321 by breaking this down as follows:
- If <=16000, then 16000 * 60
- After that, break every 2000 as 18321 16000 2321 321
- After the break:
16000 2000 321
- Then multiply by 60 55 50

Result: 960000 110000 16050 = 1086050

Please send me some good documents related to emotional competency and also explain its relevance in HR. I am a student currently pursuing my MBA.

Thank you,
Mili Sinha