Changing jobs during process or wait?

[user1479136681]

We're nearing the end of Stage 1 now (yay!) Work have previously been supportive... However now that things are getting real and we're taking time off for training etc they've changed their tune!

SO and I work at the same place so we had a meeting with HR and went through the training course catalogue with them. They are not happy about us both taking holiday for training days because of "the impact on the business." It also turns out that they don't have an adoption leave policy - or even maternity or paternity leave policies! - so we're going to help them put one together. And the first thing the MD said when we told him our plans was "this doesn't mean you can work from home!"

Overall I'm starting to think they're not going to be as supportive as they originally claimed. We both want to find new jobs anyway but we were going to wait until after adoption leave was up (we're planning on taking 6 months each). I just hope we can hold out that long!

Has anyone else had issues with work not understanding? What did you do?

I was told of one couple who had to drop out of their match because they both worked for the same company and they would only pay full pay to one parent, the other had to make do with statutory pay.

Your firm doesn't have to approve your holiday on a specific day if it impacts the business. They can't stop you having adoption leave and in theory it should be the equivalent to their maternity/paternity pay policies. However legally you're entitled to 90% pay for 6 weeks for the main carer and 2 weeks at 90% for the second carer. It then goes to just under £150 for 33 weeks and that is what you would share between you during your 6 months off.

The other potential issue to consider is your pension. My brother in law has a very generous paternity package but has decided he can't afford to take his full entitlement because of the effect on his pension.

If you change jobs you will have to be in post a minimum of 6(?) months before you will be entitled to statutory leave and it could be longer for any additional discretional pay from the company. Also, although legally a company is not allowed to refuse to hire you because of your parenting plans and legally are not allowed to ask about them. You are at a disadvantage because not many companies are prepared to hire someone who will only be in post a short while before going off on an extended leave of absence. I'm not sure a new employer would be particularly supportive on this basis.

The problem for employers with adoption is that, unlike a pregnancy, there is no obvious timeframe for them to prepare for your absence. In your case I think the issues stem from the fact that there are for 2 employees at the same time that they cannot plan for.

The final thing you need to consider is being able to sell your change of job to your social worker, approval panel, the social worker of any child placed with you and finally matching panel.

I did change jobs during the approval process but had to explain I was only entitled to statutory pay in my original job was wasn't going to loose money there and that the change was actually beneficial for me in terms of the adoption process as it made my hours of work much more flexible.

I changed jobs 3 months before approval panel, the job I was in involved a lot of travel, unsociable hours and was incredibly stressful so while changing jobs may nit be ideal, it can be viewed as a good thing if the new job is more structured, accommodating etc.

As it turned out, I was in post 9 months before I was matched and needed to plan adoption leave so met the timescales for enhanced leave.

www.first4adoption.org.uk/adoption-support/financial-support/adoption-leave-pay/

This is quite informative. Also ACAS provides good advice and is pretty good for all things HR related.

You have to be in your job for 26 weeks (6 months) to qualify for statutory pay, and there may be additional qualifying factors to qualify for additional adoption/maternity pay. Adoption pay does not legally have to be the same as maternity pay, which I think is pretty appalling considering the amount realistically that adoption could technically save money in terms of foster caring costs (maybe it costs more to approve and adopt but you'd still have those approval costs with a foster carer).

I would definitely go for another job. I think the fact is that it may take ages for a match and I just don't think anybody should put their life on hold for an extended period of time during the adoption process as theres so many delays (many of them unnecessary) that could mean not getting another job for 1-2 years and then also delaying a lot of other things... (sometimes happiness....!)

good luck with everything

I changed jobs just as we started the process. I work for a LA so it classed as continuous employment for adoption leave although my husband is taking that. I took a massive hit in the reduction of wages and our monthly income as a result but knew that if/when children are placed with us we can now manage school runs etc where as due to my commute we couldn't have done with my previous job. I'm really hoping the panel see that as a positive rather than focus on the drop in income (Which we can manage with but has had a short term impact).
My advice is if you're going to change jobs maybe just one of you should change and do it quickly. I think if you can evidence why you've changed it could be seen as a positive (that's what I'm clinging on to).

@Runner31 I too took a significant drop in salary, which we could afford, the job change was considered positive because of the reduction in hours, travel, unsociable hours etc etc.

If you are only at stage 1 now then a match could be a long time away. Probably the only good advice our first SW gave us was to keep living our lives. You can’t put everything on hold for a process that doesn’t have a definite timeline.

On the flip side you do have to think about the impact of being new to a job if you are matched, i.e. you might only get statutory pay.

Could one of you move as a compromise?

Thanks for your replies everyone and sorry for my late response, I had forgotten I posted this! You have given me a lot to consider.

We agreed that my SO is going to look for a new job and I'll stay. She's got an interview coming up which will also mean a significant pay rise. Currently she has to work away a lot, often overnight for up to a week at a time but this new job will be office based so I think we can sell it that way. She's so unhappy in her current role that personally I think it's best to sort that out even if it means taking a break before we begin Stage 2 (we can take a break of up to 6 months between stages which is helpful).

I'm going to stay where I am as even though it's very boring I like the people I work with. And I'll take either the first 6 months of leave or a longer period of time.