When you make the decision to take some time off–be it 6 months of 6 years–to stay home with the kids, you do so knowing that it’s going to have an impact on your career. But some people (and it’s more often mom than dad who stays home) underestimate just how much of an impact it will have.
First of all, you not only give up the salary you would have earned, you are likely to come back at a lower level than those people who used to be your peers. And chances are, you’ll never catch up. Choosing to stay home is a family decision, as is the decision to return to the workforce. Tom Gimbel, President of LaSalle Network, a staffing firm, gives some advice to moms (or dads!) who are returning to the workforce after staying home with the kids.
To keep reading, click here: What to expect when you return to work (post baby)
Thanks for this. As a newly pregnant person, I’ve been wading through everything I’ll need to plan. I’ve found that I can use short-term disability to get 2/3 of my paycheck while I’m on FMLA, which is better than nothing. I need to use up all my PTO first, but I have two upcming 14-day trips which will likely drain it (plus doctor’s appointments). If you’re paying into disability, it’s worth seeing if you can use it.
I’m also very lucky to work for a company that will allow me to work from home and return on a part-time basis if I want. (We do project work, so I can take on as much or as little work as I want to.) That will help me slowly ease back in after the 12 weeks are up.