Do I leave or do I stay - Help please?

Itchy feet, you have me interested now. How do you accrue annual leave when you arent working?

Stacey, you're right. You continue to accrue leave, but the value is based on your previous 52 weeks annual earnings. Therefore, if you come back to work after 52 weeks, you will have accrued 20 days but at zero value as you haven't been earning in that time. If you go back earlier, then you won't have accrued as many days, but it will have some value attached.

This is one of the reasons I believe you are supposed to be paid out on your annual leave balance as you go on parental leave. Otherwise the built-up value of your leave will just continue to diminish even though you still retain the number of days at the time of going on leave. I think also if you're made redundant during extended leave, the amount of holidays you accrue at whatever the average 52 week value is should also be paid out to you.

You have some good advice/info on here. I would leave also, you don't know how long TTC will take and even then there's probably a 9m wait before the baby. Most people seem to work 6-8 mos of their pregnancy anyway.

The PPL is not very much, similar to a dole payment, so if I were you in prep for conceiving I would be reviewing the family budget to see what can be trimmed etc. You don't have to live completely frugal but it's not a bad exercise to do anyway.

Wow, there is so much info that I had no idea about!
Thanks so much! You ladies are FULL of useful info

I agree, that we don't know how long TTC will take so would probably be best to start a new job.
But then I think about (what yummymummy mentioned)
if I was to start a new job and then got pregnant and was having to have days off due to sickness or any possible issues that may arise, I would feel quite dishonest to the company for letting them hire me with the intention of leaving at some point in the (hopefully) near future and then taking days off all the time!

Another problem I have is I work in an office environment at the moment and this is my main problem. I don't want to work in an office, I want to be outside, being active and doing something I love that excites me. I have decided that I will not work in another office because my boredom kicks in after about a month, its just not for me.

BUT I think this would probably be the best sort of job to have whilst pregnant, especially towards the later stages?

So my point is (believe me, there is one!) that is there any point in leaving an office job now to find a job I love to just leave soonish after and have no intention of returning?
Or best to stick out this boring job, take PPL and then resign. Stay home with our baby for maybe one - two years and then look into changing career paths?

Its not so much all about the money but more about when to 'start' a new 'career' as such!?

Sorry, I hope this is making sense...

And thanks again for your replies


Edited by Parki

I left an office job to go "back on my tool" (i'm an electrician) and I think that I would have worked longer had I have still been in the office job, although may have got uncomfy sitting in a chair all day. But I did find it hard to be on my feet for 8 hours a day and I only worked 3 days a week (but would then spend my days off recovering from work). I also ended up taking my annual leave and finishing work at 32 weeks cos I got sciatic nerve pain and was in agony plus had 1 1/4 commute and was worried about going into labour half way between Christchurch and Ashburton. I also struggled with lifting stuff and would have to constantly ask someone for help, couldn't spend much time bent over or working on the floor etc (which are all things you would have to take into account if doing an outdoors/manual labour type of job)

However I do not regret changing jobs because even though it may have been physically harder and more tiring I didn't have to put up with an arse of a boss working 50 hours a week in a job I hated. Instead I worked 24-30 hours in a job I didn't mind with a boss that was great and understanding throughout the whole of my pregnancy (and now lets me work casually from home).

I think personally if it was me I would change jobs now, you don't know how long it is going to take to get pregnant and you can always stop trying now find a new job and then start trying again once you have been there for a few months. I also don't think it is dishonest as we never know what is going to happen, you could be there 5 years before you get pg or it could be 5 days

I have wrestled with this one for about a year now.
I trained to do something related but different to what i do now, applied for a couple of jobs, then decided to TTC so stopped applying. Got pregnant, then lost bubs at 14 weeks, so now I'm contemplating again.
On the plus side i have some good friends here, been here for about 14 years (with one break elsewhere), dont mind the work too much, get paid well. Down side I want to do what I've been training to do and there are some people at work who really P--- me off, and would like to move on.

I think at the moment staying will win as I suspect I will get pregnant again fairly quickly when we are able to try.
...but YEP it is a tough one. Write down your pros and cons and see how they weigh up. Maybe there is something you can do at your current place that will keep you interested?

lol I just went for a job interview for this fantastic job last week and now have a BFP after three years. I guess I won't be taking that job!