Did anyone leave work earlier than agreed?

[LeBe]

Im sitting at my desk at them moment felling miserable, tired, irritable and unable to concentrate. Also my chair feels like some sort of torturing device and is killing my back and none of my work clothes fit!(how much of a moaner am I?!?)But the thing is that i still have another 5 weeks at work as decided with my employer a few months ago but that was before i felt like a beached whale. I decided to leave 4 weeks before i was due to give me lots of time with the baby but now i have been told by nearly everyone that they are sure i am going to give birth before that and plus even if i dont i really dont think i can stand this for another month. Did anyone else leave before the date they agreed and what happened - advice greatly needed (and sorry for the whinge!) x

Me when i was pg with ds i left work when i was about 5 months pg because i just could not take anymore & was finding my job very stressful so i went to the doctors & got signed off, i just told her i was stressed, not sleeping & it was making me feel extremley upset. I never went back to work not even when my baby was born

If you really want to leave go & see your doctor let them know how your feeling & they will sign you off.

Yes. B/c I started fainting at work and was orderd to do so by both my boss and doctor.

I was hospitalised at 27 weeks. Took sick leave until (I think) 34 weeks, when maternity leave automatically kicked in. I had planned to work until 36 or 37 weeks, but had no choice in the matter. You might be able to take sick leave based on the back problems... I'd suggest talking to your GP.

How soon before your due-date can you begin maternity leave? Legally that is?

I went on mat leave at around 26ish weeks. Mainly because I had a mc history and work was torture for me. I found it hard being in work, stressing about work, the journey to work etc that I just wanted to be at home and in a sfe environment. My sis also got married the week I finished so I wanted time to help her and to prepare for a wedding.
BTW about the 1st 4 weeks was holiday I was owed and obviously my mat leave ended sooner, when dd was around 3/4 months old. BUT what swayed it for me was the fact that I wasn't returning after dd was born so didn't need extra time once dd was born iykwim.

Given the fact that you have 5 weeks left I'm almost 100% sure that you are entitled to ask if you are able to leave sooner. People I have worked with have done so. As long as your employer is ok with it it won't be an issue. Think about it...like others have said, how many have baby before the due date or how many have to finish due to ill health etc.

Good luck with the rest of the "peaceful time"..!!

Tahnks for the advice guys, its good to know that you can leave earlier the other problem i have is that we are a very small company and i havent got a replacement yet let alone trained her and i feel i would really be leaving them in the lurch plus my boss is not the most sympathetic and there is no way he would agree to let me go early if he could possibly help it.I really dont know what to do for the best!

LeBe, is there any way you could alter your hours a bit for the last five weeks? Perhaps go in later and leave earlier to avoid travelling at the busiest times? Or ask to wear more casual clothes for the remaining few weeks so you feel a bit more comfortable?

If you haven't already had one, get a risk assessment done. Your employer is obliged to provide a chair which offers the right support, height etc. for you and if you have not had a risk assessment you should request one immediately from your HR department.

Your boss may not be keen for you to leave just yet, but he should certainly be willing to see what arrangements can be made to make you happier and more comfortable during your remaining time at work.

Thanks currantbun.

I know i should really be thinking about me and the baby at the moment but i feel awful to leave people who i consider friends in trouble, but seriously the thought of being here another 5 weeks feels me with dread i just want to cry im so uncomfortable and irritable, its silly i know. Also i know im entitled to things like you say but its useless where i work it would get put off and put off by my boss until the last minute its terrible.

Is there any way you can do any of your work from home? Don't worry about your colleagues - you and your baby are what is most important. When I went on maternity there was so much left to do and I had noone to hand things over to but I just did what I could. People will manage. I'm sure your friends would not want you to put yourself out for them or to worry too much about them so long as they know you are doing all you can comfortably manage.

Just thought i would let you all know that i spoke to my boss today, i told him that the doctor has wanted to sign me off and doesnt think i should work as long as i said (a little fib) but i know he would sign me off if i asked and i also said there is a strong possibilty that i might be early and he said hes not surprised cos im massive, but he was actually ok and we discussed what to do about replacing me and now he hopefully wont leave it until the last minute. He also to my complete shock asked me to go back part - time after so i have started a new coversation asking for advice and whether people think its a good thing so any comment greatly appreciated!

glad you have spoken to your boss. LOL to him not leaving it to late..5 weeks left is leaving it to late imo BUT then again thats companies for you..!!

Mine didn't get a replacement until I have 2 weeks left!!!What did they think would happen..??? That I would change my mind and decide not to thave baby after all..!!!! Madness..!!!

I know!! He is awful i knew it would happen though because he has done the same with everyone who has been replaced so far so i feel quite privilaged he has actually started to think of sorting it now.

Im glad its not just my company tho

My replacement started a few weeks after I had left!! So much for a handover...

My freiends mat leave replacement started 6 weeks before she came BACK! she was off for 8 months!!

Not sure what leaving date you have now agreed, but could you work from home for some of the time between now and then. That is what I did, far comfier sitting on sofa with feet up with laptop on bump!! (i workeed until 1 week before my due date!)

I was the same Melrose - worked from home in last week so I could have little naps and didn't have to drive (my feet were gigantic at that stage so driving was a problem - actually putting shoes on was a problem). I got much more work done as I was able to concentrate on what I needed to do before leaving rather than getting more stuff dumped on me.

Oh how i wish i could work from home, unfortunatley its not that kind of job - but now i cant get the image of me on my sofa working seems like a dream come true at the moment!! :0

I was going to give up at 36 weeks but at 33 weeks I felt like you do and went in to HR and told them how I felt and asked to leave at 34 weeks. They ere not best pleased BUT I did not make my last day at work as I ent into labour the night before and had my DS on my newly agreed leaving date at 34 weeks.

The thing is, even if they don't want you to leave earlier their hands are tied as if you go off sick with a pregnancy related issue they ill make you start your maternity leave then anyway.

If you are feeling rubbish, I ould leave early.

With ds my consultant wanted me to finish work at 26 weeks (long story) but I only made it to 23 (another long story). I had only gone back to work at 12 weeks pg after 4 months compassionate leave, and reduced hours too. My bosses were amazing, and paid me full pay through leave, and through reduced hours period, and until 29 weeks when my mat leave kicked in.

With dd I intended to work until the friday before she was born by elective section the following MONDAY (!) fgs, but finished at 36 weeks and had her at 38+6.

Recently the law has changed. It used to be that if you were off sick for pregnancy related reasons, your emplyer could make you start your maternity leave once you got to 29 weeks- now it is 36 weeks. HTH.

TLB, I didn't know that, that is progress though (about the dates for sick leave). I had a virus at 27 weeks (non-pregnancy related) and my HR dept threatened me with if you're off sick in 2 weeks time we will make you take your mat leave (thixs was 5 years ago), despite not having a sick day for two years!!!!