When you come back from some months on family leave after the birth of your child, it can be difficult to transition into working life. You may feel as though things are different in the office, or as though you are being punished for taking time off.
It is important that you understand the protections that are put in place by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). You may find that you can take action to improve your working conditions and your career.
Suffering a demotion after you have returned from maternity leave
Many women return from maternity leave and shortly after become demoted. If an issue is raised in regard to this, the company can sometimes claim that the employee was underperforming for some time, and they were given a position with less responsibility as a result.
You have the right to take action in a case like this, and if there is no documented evidence that you were, in fact, underperforming at your job, it is likely that you will be able to successfully make a claim.
Being made to feel guilty for taking maternity leave
You have the right to take medical leave in order to care for your newborn child. It is not permissible for a manager to make you feel guilty for this or try to make you return to work prematurely.
If you are encountering issues with your FMLA maternity leave, it is important to understand all of the protections that are in place. You should take a stand in order to protect the future of your career.
Source: Rapid Learning Institute, “The Top Five FMLA Compliance Mistakes That Could Land You in Court,” accessed March 08, 2018