Hi all, hoping for some advice from you wise people! In a slightly sticky situation.
I work for a financial services firm - with long hours (11-13hrs daily regularly). I was considering a move, but instead decided to take a 9 month unpaid leave of absence (to support elderly parent, work on creative side projects with husband, have a general break from burnout). However I got pregnant and am now 9 weeks along.
I really don't want to go back and am also nervous about the emotional and physical stress of working that hard during pregnancy (I also have a medical condition that can flare up on occasion during long work stretches). However, if I did, I've been there 5+ years so would qualify for enhanced maternity pay/all of the benefits. So financially makes sense but emotionally and health wise does not. As an aside, I can't imagine doing that job with a 6 month old, so would not want to go back after maternity for very long/if at all if possible.
I applied for some jobs (before getting pregnant), and had a final interview for one company this week. May not get it, but if I did - it would be a job I'd love to take. I wouldn't qualify for SMP (6 months policy there to qualify and it wouldn't start for at least another month), but I think I would qualify for state maternity allowance (employed 26 weeks, paid for 13 weeks). However, I would feel terrible to do that to the new employer. So if I got it, would the right thing be to tell them once they offer the job and before I take it, and explain the situation honestly?
Alternatively, I'm considering trying to find some part time remote work, which I could build up over the pregnancy. So finding something that means I would qualify for maternity allowance. In that path, to count towards the 26 weeks employed status - does anyone know if still being fully employed but not paid (my current position) ie on a leave of absence, counts towards the requirement for '26 weeks employed'? Our mortgage payments are low, so I think me getting just maternity allowance would be ok for that first 39 weeks - though after that I'd need to pick up part time work again.
Thank you SO much for reading through this essay, and any thoughts or tips really welcome!