Academics (again...) - can I have your opinion, please?

[dontrunwithscissors]

I'm on maternity leave right now. I told work I would take the full 52 weeks off, followed by 6 weeks of annual leave that I will have accrued. This would mean returning in early December 2010 (Week 12 of a 14 week semester). They were fine with that. I've been looking at our finances, and it's pretty clear that I will have to go back earlier. Ideally, this would be in week 2 of the semester, followed by 6 weeks of annual leave. However, this would mean I wouldn't be able to do any teaching, but I would be technically back for almost the entire semester. (Although I would obviously still be working my butt off, but spending more time on research than usual.) What do you think? Is this just far too cheeky? Perhaps there are some things that you just don't do? As far as I know, I'd be legally entitled to return (providing I gave 8 weeks notice), but I'm pretty sure they'll think I'm taking the p!ss. Otherwise, we either sink into the financial abyss, or I leave DD2 much earlier than I would like.

I would say stick to your rights and think about yourself and your family. I work in FE and in my place they would soon find hours for you - partic if it only week 2 of Sem 1 as a lot of new starters are still settling in and hours dont really settle that early.

No not too cheeky at all. Do what you have to do. Somebody here did something similar - they found some work for her to do.

Thanks! I plucked up the courage to speak with the HOD and he has said he can find me a bit of teaching to do, but that I can spend a bit more time than normal focussing on my research. I just have to decide what to do now!

If you go back part way through a semester, they might just rearrange your teaching so that you do it slightly later in the semester than it woud normally be scheduled. This is what happened when I went back after ds2.