Hate my job so much, maternity leave & quitting related help needed....

[Leese]

So i have worked with my company for nearly 4 years, which is great news for me on getting full SMP for the 9 months etc.

However for the last 18 months (maybe more) i utterly hate the place i work and the job (i work in accounts). Through various things (would take me forever to tell the story) but i have been treated like utter shit by the bosses in here. I've also had 8 different managers in the last 3.5 years which is just rediculous!

The last manager i had for 8 months made my life hell, in fact i was so stressed out and upset that my normal 28 day cycle went walk about and i started getting AF 10-15 days late etc which never happened to me in my life before. Funnily enough this dick of a boss left just before i went on my Xmas break and low and behold the first month he wasnt here (January 12) i had my first 28 day cycle in 5 months and fell pregnant! (delighted of course as we were trying).

Anyway i am so unhappy here, but i cant leave obviously as i need the money and the SMP.

The thought of coming back here after my maternity leave is killing me, i'd be miserable, but i am not sure we will cope or if i would get any benefits if i voluntarly give up work to look after baby full time.

It's difficult as OH is only on temporary contract and could be unemployed for a while and even if he did get work he only makes minimum wage.

I also know for a fact that my work will try and shaft me when i try and come back, if i ask for part time (say 3 days a week) i just know they will be *******s and say sorry we cant let you do 3 days a week and their excuse will be that my job requires someone full time due to how busy it gets etc.

I just feel so trapped, i have no idea what i will do.

I also have a mortgage, i mean it's low but how on earth would i pay all the bills etc if i wasnt working, i dont know if i would be entitled to any help? plus even if i did go back childcare would be an issue and massive cost.

Thanks for listening! xxx

 

[magnolius]

Hey I know how you feel. I don't know if I will be coming back but I highly doubt it. Maybe you can find another job while you are off on mat leave? That is what I am thinking of doing.

 

[Dinah93]

You won't need to repay the SMP if you don't return, so use some time at the end of your maternity leave to apply for other jobs. If you take the full year that's 18 months away, yes your OH could be out of work by then, but equally thats a long time in which he could be looking for a permenant position.

 

[babyblog]

Could you look for another job, if childcare is an issue maybe an evening job or weekend shifts?

 

[Mallows]

I am not going back to this employment and plan to look for another job whilst I am on maternity

 

[angelic_one]

I'm a success story from the other side of this problem! Slightly different as I'm also a student so it's only a part time position around uni we're talking about but still. I was working in B&Q on checkouts for about 2 years before I got pregnant and throughout my pregnancy, was treated awfully, especially during my pregnancy on a red hot day when I had feinted the day before and was still feeling unwell, they would not let me have water as it was 'against health and safety' having it near the tills!? I can't even explain how awful they were, how much I did beyond my job description and paygrade, how much stress was put on me and how unrecognised and unappreciated I was. I thought I'd have to go back afterwards, but during my maternity I saw a job at uni and applied for it and got it, and now I get paid more per hour to go into schools and talk to kids about their future careers, tell them their options, tell them what uni is like, explain finance, etc....now I REALLY matter, I really make a difference and I feel great about what I do....I can't believe I get paid for it, I adore it so much. I can only do it while I'm at uni as will struggle with childcare when I finish but it has given me so much drive in my career options and I will take so much with me when I leave....rather than just getting shouted at by customers and managers. So the moral is don't stay in a job you hate because you don't know what's waiting out there! And it felt SO good telling my old work how awful I thought they were, especially the HR!

 

[cherry_pie]

If you aren't working you should be entitled to child tax credits and probably income support (which is going up to 71 a week). However it would be in your interest to find a part time job of 16 hours a week or more, that way you would have your part time wage, working tax credit, child tax credit, and money towards childcare as your a working mum. You should go to citizens advice and they will giv eyou exact figures so you can work out what to do xx