Next 48 hours may be critical....

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I got my current job as a temp for a woman going on maternity leave.

Yesterday, she showed up with infant in tow to show her off to the staff. Okay, no biggie, but this is the first anyone has heard from her since going on maternity leave.

I can't stop thinking about IF she said anything to the 2 people who she'd say something to about coming back to work.

She intended to come back after 6 weeks of leave as she said she could not afford to not work. The pay's not fabulous, so many speculate that she really can't afford to work as it would all go to day care costs...unless the grandparents/neighbor is going to watch a newborn while she's at work. Next week would be week number 6.

I've not been told anything about being kept on if/when she returns to work.

It's going to be a stressful two days...trying not to think too much of it, but every time someone comes to my desk I'm going to be fearing the worst.

I really need to keep working...at least through to New Years.

Hope you're not kept hanging for two long.

The first two years of daycare are really expensive, not to mention finding a good one. Unless, as you say, she's got relatives. My first one I had to put in daycare, but, my second one, we could afford for my husband to stay home (after accounting for a 2nd car, daycare, more gas, perhaps after school care for our oldest, we really couldn't afford for both of us to work). Either which way, not an easy decision to make.
With my first one, I thought I could only take off 6 or 8 weeks (8 for c-section recovery), I didn't know I could take 12, so I did that with my second one. My temp was only there for a few weeks out of that, though, and he was contracted from a local engineering firm, so he still had a job to go to when he was finished with my work.

Either way, best of luck to you.

So far, no news either way.

There was a note on my desk to see my supervisor first thing, but that turned out to be an unrelated matter.

Those who talked to the woman didn't hear her say anything about when she planned to return to work.

On the plus side, there's a job opening in another department, so here's hoping I'll get it.

~fingers crossed~ either way.

Fingers triply-crossed!

Well, found out yesterday that the lady is coming back next Wednesday.

Today, I'm going to push the issue.

They have an opening, and there is no reason why they can't move me into that position. It's a customer service job, but nothing I couldn't manage. In any case, it makes sense to use me and always have the option of replacing me if I don't work out rather than hire a total unknown and lose what they've invested into me so far.

Another lady might be out for a couple of months...fell and injured her shoulder and surgery will be needed.

Here's hoping. I know it's not 100% logical, but this feels like a referendum on what they think about me. No matter what they say, if they don't want to keep me, I can't believe they really like(ed) me. Everyone there makes mistakes...so I don't see my occasional stumbling in the job to be something that shows I'm unfit.

They do think I'm weird/strange, though.

Well, they had me help out for 2 hours in the customer support department. Test run?

Boss lady told me the lady I'm replacing will be back next Wednesday, but until they could get some things sorted out, if I could stay on until things were sorted. Good news?

Well, they had me help out for 2 hours in the customer support department. Test run?

Boss lady told me the lady I'm replacing will be back next Wednesday, but until they could get some things sorted out, if I could stay on until things were sorted. Good news?

Sounds good so far.


Funny thing is we just found out our coworker who'd been out on leave is coming back next monday. Our temp has been a good fit, though she felt a little overwhelmed at first, she's worked hard and picked up everything she could. The VP is trying to rush through a new position so we can keep her. ~fingers crossed~

Your VP sounds like a good person.

hope you're managing the pressure...
good luck

My VP? Yeah, she's wonderful.

I really admire how she can keep control of everyone without ever raising her voice or getting nasty, and she can assimilate new information really quickly, though she oversees so many diverse people in her departments. Obviously, I'm happy she hires a lot of people like herself, makes them easier to work with.
So, yeah, it's not surprising she is trying to get this new job through so we can keep our temp.
The life of a temporary worker isn't always easy, with gaps between employment (and, our temp doesn't get benefits, which is sad, she needs hearing aids but can't afford them yet, if we hired her and she got our insurance, they'd be covered).

Very, very few temps get benefits; and when they do, they often suck.

The fact that your VP is making an effort to create a permanent position (with benefits) for this temp, is indicative of someone who cares about people.

So I've heard.

She does.

Not a promising day.

Two new people started. One in a clinical capacity, not the job advertised, and I'd not have been eligible for it. Another new person...apparently working in the office area.

I was never spoken to about the opening for which I submitted my resume.

I asked about the job situation. I'm staying on where I am, and the returning woman is going to help in another department, but the duration of this arrangement was noticeably absent.

Not feeling too optimistic at this point.

Hmm, I hate being unsure of things, I can only imagine what you're feeling.
Best of luck.