Connecticut Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
How does this sound??-Long!!
I?m having a hard time sleeping. Partially because of the raging sinus headache, and the other part because I keep thinking about telling my boss that I?m pg. We had a quick meeting today and it was hinted at that I?d be getting more work. That made me nervous, because with my current workload, working from home or part time in the office only would be a good fit. So I want to sit down with my boss and try to establish a new schedule. I don?t like my job, but I think that I?m stuck with it at least until 2009. I've given up hope that I will find a new job before the baby comes. So if that?s the case then I should be as happy and comfortable as possible right? This is what I?m thinking of saying to my manager. A is my manager and B is our CFO.
A - I wanted to meet with you to discuss changing my schedule. One of the driving forces behind me accepting this job was flexibility. And so far you and B have been very flexible with me, letting me work from home as necessary. What I?m proposing is a part time in office schedule. What?s driving this request is that my husband and I are expecting a baby. I?m due in November, and I?m hoping to take up to 10 weeks of maternity leave. Once my leave is over I?d like to work on a part time basis. My hope is that by starting a new schedule now, in 6 months when my leave begins, I will be established and comfortable in that schedule and transition for me and my workload will be that much smoother. That way also, we can establish what works and what doesn?t.
I?m willing to work at home part of the week and the other part in office, but I don?t want to say that up front, I want to leave it as a compromise if we end up having to negotiate. What do you think??
Re: How does this sound??-Long!!
Sounds good, Erica - good luck!
You have to do what's best for you and the little one on the way, and like pp said, the worst that could happen is that they'll say no. But I doubt it - that could mean losing you as an employee altogether, and most companies aren't willing to take that risk with quality people!
A couple rec's - thank them for their felixibility thus far, then dive into your proposal. I also agree with pp's suggestion - tell them what's in it for them. Mention that you have always and will continue to bring in the same wuality of work from home as you will from the office or something. Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.
I'm not an HR expert but IMHO it's too much for a letter. In one email, you're telling them you're pregnant, you want to work from home, you want 10 weeks leave, and you want part-time after the baby is born. Please don't take this the wrong way, but as an outsider reading the note it comes off as focused only on what works for YOU, not them, and teeters on being demanding and inflexible. I'm sure that's not your intention so I'd suggest modifying it.
I'd write the email simply asking for a meeting about your schedule. At the meeting, announce your pregnancy and ask for your modified schedule. Save the leave/post baby details for later once your company can see how it works in their favor. If you're asked for details now, I'd keep it very vague.
Keep in mind, anything in print can/will go in your file and could be used against you. If you're asking for 10 weeks and change your mind, it could come back to bite you. That's part of the reason I'd suggest having the conversation in person and keeping your schedule post-baby vague for a bit longer.
Again, just my opinion.