I work within Software, not going to get specific, but I'm in a sales support role that is mostly overseas based. I'm one of a handful of people left in the US, so I know what my eventual fate will be due to the spin-off. I'm currently pregnant and I have another young child with a disability. I don't know whether to stick it out until my new baby is born early next year and then wait for the eventual WFR, or leave now willingly and lose my health benefits, which is really all I care about now, understandably. I'm now visibly showing and the job interviews/prospects where I live at other companies are not very good. What would you do if you were me?
11 replies (most recent on top)
Look for another job with HPE. Lots of job openings. Talk to HR.
One of my team mates was wfrd during pregnancy. You get maternity leave (paid) and THEN get your 60 days of Pay. Your last day isn't until after maternity leave ends.
Best case scenario would be to get a WFR right before your due date so you can collect unemployment (for 6 months in many states) while on maternity leave.
@jrq - Protection from WFR for being pregnant? Ha! I personally know at least 3 ladies here in Houston that were laid off with at least 4-5 months. One of them is a close friend, and she even begged her then-boss (another woman!) to wait until after she gave birth, and her answer was "There's nothing I can do. Good luck."...
Stay, but start working on a contingency plan if you do get the WFR. Make sure you have a comfortable emergency financial cushion.
Thank you everyone, this is the OP. I figured it was best to stay as long as possible and hold on. Hoping for the best myself and for everyone else that I work with. :)
DO NOT voluntarily leave your job right now. I lost my job involuntarily several years ago at another company when I was about 4-5 months into my pregnancy. It created an insurance nightmare. Luckily I was able to find another job relatively quickly, but the new employer's insurer was not willing to take over coverage since I was already under a doctor's care under another insurance carrier. I ended up paying COBRA fees to stay on the previous employer's plan, which is VERY expensive. I don't know what coverage you have at HPE, but expect the COBRA rates to be about 10x whatever you are paying now because you will be picking up HPE's share of the cost, too. You may also have some additional protections available to you from a WFR while on maternity leave. Also, it is not fair to the next employer to start a new job and then surprise them with the news in a few weeks that you will be leaving on maternity leave for while - be forewarned it may not be paid leave as a new employee. Same thing happened to me and my new employer was not happy, I think they felt deceived because I did not disclose my circumstances when I interviewed and was hired. Stay as long as you can for all the benefits you can get, then think about a job change after you are ready to go back to work. Good luck, I hope everything works out well for you and your family.
Keep working, but look for another job while still employed. First off, you are a stronger candidate for a job if you are already employed, second, you need to maintain health benefits and an income as long as possible.
Get that LinkedIn profile cleaned up, dig out your references. Do you have a former boss at HP who no longer works for HP? Call them as a reference.
Don't stress, it will show in an interview. Don't give any more reason for looking for new employment other than "uncertainty with the company, upheaval, etc..." but nothing critical of HP and for god's sake, don't harp on Meg, for all the lousy job she's doing as CEO. Potential employers don't like to hear that.
I would stay. Put yourself in a position of a hiring manager, she or he is alost certainly scrambling to fill the position ASAP - even if no bias, its hard
Easy... Stay. The health benefits are too important during pregnancy.
Just hold on to your job as long as you can. Focus your energies on taking care of your child and having a healthy pregnancy. Trying to find a new job now will be too stressful for you.