My maternity leave is over.
It's true what they say about maternity leave in Canada being awesome. To explain it simply, as long as you have paid into EI, you are eligible for maternity and/or parental benefits (52 weeks combined!).
Unless your employer tops up, you probably won't be making as much as when you were working, but still, it's not bad!
The timing of Sprout birth actually ended up being really good for us, because even though I had been let go from my job, I still had enough hours of work from the year leading up to her due date to qualify for benefits.
You can start benefits before your due date, so not knowing whether I might be returning to work before the 52 weeks were up, I opted to start early. Unfortunately, that also means my benefits have ended before she is a year old.
I got notice of my last mat. leave payment this week.
And not that it wasn't real before, but now the whole "unemployed" thing is really real. And pretty darn terrifying.
I love being able to be home with Sprout. I also miss working. If I hadn't been let go, I would be going back to teaching around now, since your position has to be held for you. But I was and there's nothing to go back to. That means I need to find work A.S.A.P.
I've been keeping an eye on job sites for a while now, but not a whole lot has come up. What has come up I've applied for. I've even had a few interviews, but nothing has worked out. I can't keep holding out hope for a full time teaching position.
Today I took the first step towards finding something different. I called and got put on a substitute list at my old school. Tomorrow I'll call a few more schools and see about getting put on their lists. After that I'm not sure. Maybe it's time to start looking for tutoring gigs. Or even nannying. Or maybe working retail --the holiday season is coming up, someone is bound to hire me, right? I don't know. It's quite scary. We can't afford to live on one income, so I need to find something. Please keep your fingers crossed for us that that something comes up soon.
(Also, a HUGE thank you to the readers who have contacted us about opportunities they've though I might be interested in. I can't even begin to tell you how appreciated it is. I'm so glad to be a part of this community. You guys are the best.)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
First, I'm so jealous of your maternity leave in Canada! I have been back at work since my son was 11 weeks old, and even then I took a few days unpaid leave.
ReplyDeleteSecond, good luck finding a job! We also could not live on one income, so I can imagine how stressful that is.
:(
ReplyDeleteMy fingers are crossed that something PERFECT comes along very soon! It is good that you are exploring different options, something is bound to land in your lap.
Good luck with the job hunt. Must be so stressful, and ending a mat leave at the same time. Ugh. Thinking of you!
ReplyDeleteHaving just gone through the same employment situation, I know how incredibly stressful it can be. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you find something you'll enjoy. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry nothing has worked out. Teaching jobs are hard to get. I had a friend who was a substitute for years and got by. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. I know how crappy it is to end a leave without a job.
ReplyDeleteI hope you find work quickly. Are you not interested in the public schools? I have my fingers crossed that everything will just fall in to place!
ReplyDeleteI really hope you find something soon! Are you on the sub list for the TDSB? My teacher friends are always looking for decent subs. I can give them your name/info if you'd like!
ReplyDelete