Moral Dilemma

ab7167

I hate these ones, and am struggling with this one. Basically, it is a decision between what I feel is right and moral, and money that I am legally entitled to.

I am currently on maternity leave from my job with my second child. I am now receiving only SMP, and as such my employer has to cover the cost of my childcare vouchers themselves. Effectively, I am gettign £243 a month more than SMP, paid direct to my childminder. I need to keep the place open as I return to work in October. It's complicated, but basically as SMP is regarded as a benefit, they are not allowed to deduct CV's from it, but they can't cancel them as I pay by salary sacrifie normally - therefore they are part of my contract and can't be varied without my consent. Bit of a loophole, but has been discussed by HMRC and the above is the current legal position on this. Work have agreed that this is the case and they will cover my vouchers while on SMP and (this is the important bit) my 13 weeks of zero pay, if I choose to stay off the full 52 weeks.

I always planned to return to work, but am now having second thoughts. If I do resign, should I resign now - as I know I'm not going back - and all payments will stop. Or should I wait until my 52 weeks are up (Jan 2011) and take all the mat pay and CV's until then, while knowing that I'm going to give my notice. This money will allow me to keep DD in childcare to give me a break and spend quality time with DS until next year, when she becomes entitled to her 15 hours a week anyway in January. Also I will accrue annual leave while still employed and this could add up to quite a nice lump sum next Jan when I do leave.

I just feel like I am screwing work over by not resigining until the end. There is actually a very strong likelihood that I will be made redundant anyway, as yesterdays budget cut education spending and my job is dependent on this (private company, contract with the LA)

Anyone's opinions here?

Fang_3

So you want your employer, who you're about to screw over anyway, to pay for someone else to look after your daughter so you can sit around and only have to look after one child? Beggars belief. You know what the right thing to do is, but if you are incapable of looking after two children, perhaps you shouldn't have had them?

Hammyman

ab7167 wrote: »

I just feel like I am screwing work over by not resigining until the end. There is actually a very strong likelihood that I will be made redundant anyway, as yesterdays budget cut education spending and my job is dependent on this (private company, contract with the LA)

Anyone's opinions here?

Yes. You're morally bankrupt. You state:

I hate these ones, and am struggling with this one. Basically, it is a decision between what I feel is right and moral, and money that I am legally entitled to.

To me and most others on this board, there is no question about what to do.

Not only that, you appear to be a very poor parent who would rather farm off parenting to anyone who you can pay to do it. You and my sister-in-law would get on well. I pity your daughter.

ab7167

Interesting point of view Fang, thanks for your input. Do you feel the same about the 15 hours "free" childcare she will be entitled to from next January as well? As of course, this is being paid for by the taxpayer so I can "sit around and only look after one child". Would you also advise that I don't send her to preschool because someone else is paying for it?

I'm perfectly capable of looking after 2 children, it's just nice for them both to have quality time with me on my own. If they don't get this, then tough - we will all survive, it is a luxury to be honest. Perhaps I should have just not bothered asking - I actually had every intention of going back and working, but with impending redundancy I have been considering my options and OH asked what would happen about the rest of the mat pay that I am entitled (which is a horrible word anyway) to. It was only then that I had to consider the timing of my resignation. This is not a small company, BTW, its a large multinational and they screw us over without a second thought. Not that 2 wrongs make a right and there are always the shareholders to consider as well, some of whom will need the income from the dividends.

I think I will probably make my employer an offer to make me redundant - which will consist of all the money I am legally entitled to (including a contractural return to work bonus), knock 10-20% off and see if they want rid of me. Then I can get on with the business of looking after my gorgeous children :-)

ab7167

Fine, looks like you agree with me that it is screwing the company over and I shouldn't do it. Which was my opinion anyway. OH's opinion too, but someone I was talking to said I was mad and I should take them for every penny. I wanted to know if this is a common opinion, which apparently it isn't.

mountainofdebt

Just becuase one person has a certain set of morals, it doesn't justify it........you have to live by YOUR set of moral standards and if it doesn't sit right with you then you shouldn't do it.

As far as I can see you are benefiting from the situation anyway - so why be greedy?

With regards the redundancy situation though, I would need to think very long and hard about it. Wearing my employer's hat, if I got wind that you wanted out, I might be tempted to keep you on if only to force your hand to resign as it would save me the reundancy package. However wearing my employees hat I think I would be tempted to hang on and see if I was selected for redundancy so that I could leave (which I wanted anyway) and walk away with a lump sum. However your employer may not select you as they may not want to run the risk of you claiming you'd been unfairl selected, being on maternity leave iyswim.

ab7167

I'm not so morally bankrupt that I would sue them for unfair dismissal when I'd already got what I wanted! And I haven't benefitted yet, this will be my first month soley on SMP - so if I resigned today I'd get about 2 weeks of accrued leave and nothing beyond my standard maternity pay. If you are recieving contractural mat pay, they can deduct, which I have no problem with and they have been doing for the 18 weeks I was getting contractural mat pay.

santacruz_2

I don't have strong views like the above posters but I'd have to opt for the moral high ground. You never know you might need that employer in the future and/or people associated.

LindsayO

You might feel differently once your maternity leave is up, once the initial baby-love has calmed down a bit. If you know you are definitely going to leave, then that is different, but if you are still unsure, then I don't see anything wrong in taking a bit more time to think about it

annie_tanks

Women do this all the time, and I dont blame them at all.Get all the entitlements and more all the time you can.I dont somehow think "doing the right thing" will score you any more brownie points.Companies given half a chance will shaft you anyway, one way or another.If the company you work for want you back in the future , they could look more favourably on the fact you worked for them before.That happened to me.
But look at it this way,while you are off it will give some-one else a chance working, even if its for a while.
Dont ever feel bad.Enjoy your kids, as they grow up far too fast.

Zazen999

And this is on top of being 'employed' by your husband's firm so that you can make the most of both of your tax allowances.