Are you contriving to resign after maternity leave? If you are, you are not alone, as well over 18% of parents in the U.S. quit their job after having kids.
Understandably, it’s hard to be juggling parenting and work life as an employee. Reorienting one’s priorities can be challenging, particularly after the first few months after the birth of a child.
But quitting your job should be impulsive because it affects your family’s financial security and career perspective.
It’s not uncommon to find new mothers and stay-home dads changing their minds about returning to work following parental leave. So, if you won’t be coming to work after the leave, you will need to submit a letter of resignation.
The resignation letter is a way to give proper notice and explain to the employer that you will not be returning to work after your maternity leave.
You can write a professional resignation letter in different ways. This guide will share tips and steps to craft a standard resignation letter during this transition period.
Table of Contents
After maternity, turning in a resignation is like the standard letter, only that you submit it after the leave. Also, like another letter of this kind, it should contain the essentials like information such as the transition period, the reason for the resignation, and the due date.
But consider that companies’ exit policies differ, and there may be special considerations to consider. So, reviewing the companies’ exit policies is important before sending your resignation. While at it, note the steps to writing a resignation letter.
If you quit your job after your eternity leave, there are a few practical and legal issues to consider. The first and foremost issues to consider are financials, like how you will secure health insurance and pay your home bills. Also, questions like how long can you afford to stay out of the workforce and what effect taking time off work will have on your future career.
As you ponder these important money matters, you must know your legal rights and obligations. For example, in most cases, you can resign during or after maternity leave, except your contract limits you. Also, quitting your job doesn’t make you eligible for unemployment benefits. Only those who lose their jobs and not those who quit voluntarily are eligible for the benefit.
Leaving your current job because you want to prioritize your baby and family doesn’t mean you should jeopardize the working relationship. Perhaps in the foreseeable future, if you decide to work again, the company could reconsider you, or your ex-employer will leave a good recommendation from your new employer.
As such, send a resignation letter that is gracefully written so it is well received. It’s in your best interest to keep the letter short and professional when composing it. For example, if you have a jovial relationship with your boss, it’s best to always start with a formal greeting. And if you aren’t available to submit a hard copy letter, you can always email it to the HR department of your company.
Different companies have different requirements when it comes to their employees wanting to resign. In most cases, companies require employees to give at least two weeks’ notice before the resignation date.
In the brief statement, state the purpose for writing. Your opening statement would clearly state your reason for writing to resign. Mention your current job title, which you are resigning from, and the exact final employment date.
While you were an employee at the company, you must have made several contributions to the company and several ways the company has impacted you during your employment. If you were an integral part of the company, it would impact its performance before finding a new employee replacement.
Offering help to ensure the transition period is easy and smooth will be greatly appreciated by your employer. During the transition period, you can offer to train the replacement on clients’ preferences, software, and so on.
Also, when writing a resignation letter, it’s ideal to always maintain a cordial relationship. In the letter, you must add two or more sentences showing gratitude for the new skills you’ve learned and the experience you gained.
Always express appreciation in the letter. With careful thought, thank your colleagues and management for guiding you and showing their tolerance towards your mistakes. Including this appreciation in your letter will leave a good impression on management and your departure will be on good terms.
When you close the letter, do so on a positive note. Don’t let your letter sound like a sob story, but how you leave will help you focus on your family. Remember, if you don’t feel comfortable sharing personal information in your resignation, you don’t have to.
But ensure the closing note of your letter wishes the company success in the future. Also, you can optionally add that you will keep in touch with the company if they need assistance.
After maternity leave, writing an effective resignation letter is easy, provided you know what to add and avoid. Ensuring the letter has all the important information like your name, job role, signature, and so on will guarantee your employer accepts and acts immediately.
Below are some additional tips and advice to broaden your understanding about writing a resignation letter to your office.
One of the common mistakes many people make when writing this letter is that they include a lot of unnecessary information. Leaving a company you’re sacrificing sweat and blood for can be emotional. And understandable; you will probably have a lot of things to say. But the resignation letter is not the right place to say those things.
As such, always keep the letter professional. Including information about the delivery journey or what you plan on doing moving forward isn’t necessary. If you feel the information is too personal, you probably shouldn’t include it in your letter. Remember, the trick is to keep things simple with the manager.
Importantly, when writing the letter, keep emotions out of it. Even if you feel emotional about the situation, don’t let it reflect in your writing. Ideally, many companies prefer you hand in your resignation at the office. But if you get emotional about the situation, consider mailing it to HR.
Also, some companies entertain resigning over the phone or video call. This opportunity allows you to explain why you leave the company with HR. You can even discuss and ask any further questions to help transition the process into a smooth run.
Finally, every resignation letter must be clear and concise. It is a formal letter and requires certain rules to follow. For example, the paper should have at least one-inch margins from the edges of the paper. Also, use business fonts like Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial and a font size of 12 pixels is ideal.
Giving the text a single-spaced one helps to elevate the appearance to a concise and clear look. And before you send it to HR, ensure you proofread the text. Ensure the text is free from grammar and spelling errors. You can give the letter to a friend or your husband to assist with the proofreading.
If you want to write a letter to inform your supervisor you want to resign after parental leave, sample resignation letters will make the task much easier. Below are samples of what the document looks like so you can customize any of them to suit your situation:
Resignation Letter Template for Hard Copy
Your Name,
Your Address (City, State Zip Code)
Date
Employer’s Name
Employer’s Title
Company Name
Address
Dear Ms. Manager,
For the last few months, while on leave, I spent much time thinking of my next step. After much deliberation, I will not be returning to work after my leave. Kindly approve my resignation, which will start from [exact date for the commencement of resignation].
It’s been an educating and intriguing time working with you and being part of [ABC Company]. I have learned a lot while here, and you all have my gratitude.
Please feel free to contact me if you need any assistance during this transition period. I am available via email and phone calls and will be open to coming to the office for a day to attend to any important information for my replacement.
Yours Sincerely,
[Name]
Resignation Letter Template for Emailing
Dear Sir/Madam,
Kindly approve my resignation, which will start from[date]. After much consideration, I will not be returning to work after my leave.
I appreciate everyone at [ABC Company’s] hospitality throughout my time here. Please write to me if you need any assistance; I will be happy to offer guidance and clarification during this transition period.
Yours Sincerely,
[Name]
