I work in Schaumburg, IL and am 5 months pregnant. I've been known to be a great employee among my department for the past 4 years and work for many sales reps providing services to clients. We have a new manager with less than 1 year experience in the industry. In Feb I met to ask her if I can come back part time just for a few months once my baby is born and then return full time, or will I have to return full time? She said she would get back to me. Three months later I asked to meet again since I heard nothing and she just recently (two days ago) informed me the following:

"When you are done with your maternity leave, there will be no need for you to come back. We are redefining your role for another person to fill. You can have the remaining four months left here and then your maternity leave/STD, but after that, there will be no need to return."

Our company is designed to have FMLA begin on the 1st day of our short term disability. None of the reps I work for are aware of her sole decision to let go of me and nothing has changed in my job except the fact that I became pregnant. Is there anything I can do here? She's eliminating my career that I've built successfully for four years that the department has been very happy with! HELP!!

I work in Schaumburg, IL and am 5 months pregnant. I've been known to be a great employee among my department for the past 4 years and work for many sales reps providing services to clients. We have a new manager with less than 1 year experience in the industry. In Feb I met to ask her if I can come back part time just for a few months once my baby is born and then return full time, or will I have to return full time? She said she would get back to me. Three months later I asked to meet again since I heard nothing and she just recently (two days ago) informed me the following:

"When you are done with your maternity leave, there will be no need for you to come back. We are redefining your role for another person to fill. You can have the remaining four months left here and then your maternity leave/STD, but after that, there will be no need to return."

Our company is designed to have FMLA begin on the 1st day of our short term disability. None of the reps I work for are aware of her sole decision to let go of me and nothing has changed in my job except the fact that I became pregnant. Is there anything I can do here? She's eliminating my career that I've built successfully for four years that the department has been very happy with! HELP!!
From your post I am assuming that you were out on FMLA. How long were you out? FMLA only protects your job for 12 weeks and STD is only an income replacement program and has nothing to do with protecting your position.

While your employer can not fire you for taking FMLA, the job protection only extends as far as would exist had you not taken leave. If your position is really being reworked and this would have occurred anyway, then it is perfectly legal. I will say it is a bit suspicious that yours is th only job being treated this way, if in fact that is the case and the others just haven't been informed yet. Is there a manager higher up the food chain you can ask or appeal to? A HR Department perhaps?

From your post I am assuming that you were out on FMLA. How long were you out? FMLA only protects your job for 12 weeks and STD is only an income replacement program and has nothing to do with protecting your position.

I'm still working full time. I won't be out until baby wants out. I was told that I will have the remaining 4 months to work then maternity leave and STD. I feel under so much stress knowing that I have to work every day for four months knowing my new boss has already thought to replace me, when I'm known as one of the best employees in the department. Even if they are restructuring, why wouldn' a company resturcture with one of their best employees in mind? Clients are very happy with me and co -workser enjoy working with me, nit to mention my record in the company is squeaky clean. I can't imagine what is really going on, but what I do know is I have to work for 4 months knowing they don't even want me anymore. :(

While your employer can not fire you for taking FMLA, the job protection only extends as far as would exist had you not taken leave. If your position is really being reworked and this would have occurred anyway, then it is perfectly legal. I will say it is a bit suspicious that yours is th only job being treated this way, if in fact that is the case and the others just haven't been informed yet. Is there a manager higher up the food chain you can ask or appeal to? A HR Department perhaps?


I agree with you, I don't get it. Mine is the only position treated this way, and I've been depended on by all the sales reps and never let one down. What baffles me is that they have hired new people with no experience in the industry, yet they can feel comfy to drop a person like me with 10+ years experience and a great track record...no hiccups along the way. (sigh) I cannot go to HR because HR, from past experiences among the entire company, is not on the employee's side. HR supports the manager regardless. It's not right, but it is how it is. I am stuck. The person that placed this new manager recently is the President from what I hear, so going higher just won't cut it. It just seems like a lose-lose situation for me. I just want to have a job to come back to, but I have a feeling I'm as good as history here. :(