Should I give notice - please help! I'm desperate.

[MYBOSSISSOSELFISH]

Would be very interested in people's opinions here. I am a company director, and agreed to go back to work after 6 weeks maternity leave (my DH stays at home to look after DC). However, i ended up with EMCS an infection and then from 2 wks old DD was having real problems, which 6 weeks later got diagnosed as silent reflux (is now dream baby). So at 7 weeks I went back in for a few hrs a day - all agreed with boss - and backed up with dr's sicknote. My HV and Dr had said I shd really be totally signed off, but I know that he would have been a nightmare. Have now been back 6 weeks and boss is being such a bully. He has given me a really diff project to do that I'm not qualified for, is outside my scope of capabilities and has an urgent deadline on it. He refuses to give me any help and the project is a dispute with a client that may end up in high court so very important to be right. My Dr told me to work no more than 20 hrs a week because I am stressed out really badly over how much work they keep piling on me but he has totally ignored this, and just put more and more work onto me and been really rude, obstructive etc. Anyway I have decided to look for other work but my problem is I have to give 3 months notice and because I have about £25k of shares in the company which I will need that money to subsidise what I expect to be substantially reduced level of income I can't just go earlier. So I was thinking, should I hand my notice in and then as the time for finishing comes, look for other work, even if temp, to put me in a better position to look for another permanent post. I'm just worried that people won't wait 3 months for me - why should they when there will be plenty others available within a month or less. Trouble is if i leave and then end up with no other job how do I pay mortgage? We are in 3 bed semi with very little equity so can't downsize really. I have no contract of employment or shareholders agreement either. I'd really appreciate any thoughts on whether to try and stick it out or give notice and hope to find something else.....

Many employers will be happy to wait 3 months if you are the right person for the job. Indeed, for senior roles it is often factored into the recruitment process. It is also quite likely that your current employer won't make you serve out your notice. Finally, given what you say about the way your boss has behaved you have a possible claim against them so they may be happy for you to go quickly provided you don't take them to tribunal.

aww hon i really feel for you.i think it is an absolute disgrace the way your boss has been treating you. prh47bridge is right though you may have a claim against them,they cannot just change your job around without consulting you and expect you to just deal with it.you are entitled after the birth and your leave,to go back into your original role.have you tried talking to your boss to air your concerns??

thanks both for your answers.
he hasn't really changed my job around so much as given me an additional assignment on top of my usual work load which would usually have been done by a diff director in a different field to mine. He left a month ago due to how unreasonable the md is. the manager beneath him also left a month ago and so the person who replaced him knows nothing of this project. I tried to talk to him about it and he has just said he's too busy with other stuff to become involved in it and when i've asked for help from other employees he has said he's told them to help me if they have time. i've just been asked to come in on saturdays - which i've done for last 3 weeks and when I said this was asked if i could do sundays aswell. \as eg of how unreasonable he is,despite fact that contract entitles employees to all bank hols he has refused to pay for the extra one for royal wedding this year saying if anyone wants to challenge him on it they can go and see him.
\As we live quite rural senior jobs are really rare, and so whilst I agree a lot of these types of jobs may require 3 mths notice we've decided to give me a quality of life and go for a less senior role, as i currently work about 60 hours per week. it is because i want to do this that i'm wondering about giving notice now? If i gave notice and put in letter why I am doing it can i ask to go earlier if i get a chance of another job that requires me sooner and if they won't let me tell them i'm considering a tribunal anyway, which I could agree to drop if they let me go earlier and bought my shares? Sorry, more questions!

In your position I'd hand my notice in with detailed reasons why I'm leaving and start looking for a post immediately. There are still opportunites for interim management & temping.

Life is too short to put up with this, ill health and a young child.

Has he made the previous leavers work their notice period? It just isn't worth employers claiming damages from employees who fail to work their notice period. Alternatively you could let your Doc sign you off and take sick leave for the remaining 3 months.

What is the sgreement for sale of shares? Do you have to sell when you leave or can you keep them (would you want to?!).

Hope everything works out for you.

He has made everyone else work their notice. We don't have a shareholders agreement. I wouldn't want to keep them - the money for them would really be needed to support us over the next few years as I expect to earn significantly less. Then in a few years time when children are both in school husband can work more hours as well so that we'd have enough income to pay mortage and bills.

Thanks for your thoughts, it's kind of the way i'm thinking right now....