Sample resignation letter after maternity leave (6 templates)
By
OptimistMinds
As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.
Author bio
The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
In this guide, we will see sample resignation letters after maternity leave if you would like to resign after having your baby, tips on how to write your letter, and a few templates you can use and adapt to your own circumstances.
Sample resignation letter after maternity leave
A Sample resignation letter after maternity leave needs to be done appropriately.
If you are here it can be because you are thinking about resigning from your job after being on maternity leave or you have decided this is what you want to do but are not sure about how to do it.
Well, here we will discuss some top tips on how to let your employer know.
If you have decided not to return or rejoin to your job after being pregnant, now having your baby and you are thinking you need to hand in your resignation application, still, it is important to remember that maintaining a positive relationship with your employer is key.
You can’t be certain if you are never returning to this job or finding a new one if things at home get difficult or if your family starts to struggle financially, where you can’t afford to stay at home.
Top tips on how to write and hand in your resignation letter:
- Have a discussion with your line manager and indicate your intention of leaving. They might offer you to make some changes you stay and manage to balance your work and your personal life.
- If you still decide to resign is the best option for you, as an employee, it is important to write a formal letter. You can find some sample templates with the letter format you can use to write your own letter if you want you can just adopt one of the examples.
- Your letter needs to be brief and straight to the point. A simple, concise, and professional letter will do. Include your recipient’s information, your information, a statement with your intention to leave, briefly state the reason why you are leaving, thank your employer, offer any assistance if they need to find a replacement, close your letter and sign it.
Sample 1
“Name
Address
City, State Zip Code
Date
Name
Title
Company
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Ms. Manager,
Please accept my resignation effective September 30, 2018. As you know, I had my second child in August, and I have decided that I will not be returning to work after my maternity leave. I plan on staying home with my children for the foreseeable future.
Thank you for your understanding. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance during this transitional time. I am available over (phone, email) and would also be happy to come into the office for a day to pass off any contacts, emails, or information that you need.
Sincerely,
Your Signature (hard copy letter)
Firstname Lastname”
Sample 2 (email sample)
“Subject: Maternity Leave – Your Name
Dear Jane,
During these past two months on maternity leave, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking through my next steps. After much debate, I’ve decided to stay home with my children, and not return to full-time work. Please accept my resignation effective February 10, 2019.
It’s been a pleasure working with you and being part of ABC Company. I have learned so much during my four years working here.
Please let me know if I can offer any help during this transitional time – I am available over email, and would also be happy to come into the office for a day to pass off any contacts, emails, or information that you need.
Sincerely,
Firstname Lastname”
Sample 3
“Dear Mr. Grimes
As you already know, I have been on maternity leave from my position as a senior assistant at ABC Company for the past 4 weeks, with my return to work scheduled for January 15, 2014. However, after giving much thought to the situation, it has become apparent that it is in the best interest of myself, my new child, and my team members at ABC Company if I resign from my position indefinitely in order to best care for my new family. Therefore, I appreciate your understanding of my plans not to return to work as scheduled.
I would be more than happy to assist in the finding and/or training of my replacement in any way that I can. If any discussion in regards to this is needed, or if you have any questions, I can be contacted by phone at (555)-555-5555 or by email at [email] I will inform my team members and make them welcome to contact me as well.
I am grateful to you and ABC Company for the great experience and cooperation I have enjoyed there over the past few years. Although I will miss everyone at the office, I know I would not be able to properly focus on my work away from my child after such a short maternity leave. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Carolyn Jensen
Carolyn J. Jensen
Senior Assistant
ABC Company”
From greatsampleresume.com.
Sample 4
“Your Name
Address
Contact Number
Email Address
Date
Recipient Name
Company’s Name
Company’s Address
Dear {Title & Name of Recipient},
After much thought and consideration, I have come to the decision not to return to {Company Name} after my maternity leave. I am writing to notify you of my formal resignation from my role as {Job Title}.
As you are aware, I gave birth to my first child in {Date} and I have come to the decision to remain at home with my child for the foreseeable future.
I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you and the team at {Company Name} over the last {Length of employment}, and appreciate all of the opportunities for professional and personal development given to me throughout my period of employment.
I would be more than happy to come into the office before my official leave date to hand over any work, emails, or information to a new employee – or assist with anything to help during the transition.
Sincerely,
____(signature)
{Your Name}”
Sample 5
“Dear sir/madam,
Subject- Resigning the job of Assistant Professor due to Pregnancy- Regarding.
I hereby declare my official resignation notice as an Assistant professor from the college of Christ. Since I am conceived and because of my family’s request to take rest for some months I have applied for Maternity leave. But, due to some internal politics in college, my leave cannot be sanctioned. So I have decided to resign from my job. And here is my resignation letter.
I would like to thank all my students and my colleagues who gave me an opportunity to teach and work with you. Thank you all.
Thank you,
____(signature)
{Your Name}”
You can find and download the word document from here.
Sample 6
“Dear Gunther
As you know I have decided that upon the end of my designated maternity leave period I will not be returning to my position at Citi branch. There are two reasons for this and I would like to list them here.
To start I recently learned that the position I held has been filled and the branch has no interest in relocating that individual. That means relocating me either to a lower position or to another branch. I cannot say either prospect interests me. The location is perfect only 15 minutes from my apartment providing a convenient commute especially in case of emergency. I have investigated and the nearest Citi Branch after yours is a 45-minute drive and a longer public commute.
The second reason is purely maternal. My baby is only three months old and I cannot bring myself to part with her at this time. My husband and I have agreed if I did choose to stay home a little longer we would find a way to make ends meet. And after hearing about my being relocated upon my return it was easy to make the decision that left me home with my newborn.
I want everyone at Citibranch to know it was a pleasure and I wish you all the best.
Best regards
Cynthia Sparks”
You can find this template here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I resign immediately after maternity leave?
Yes, you can resign immediately after maternity leave.
If you have decided not to continue working for your current employer.
Just make sure you give your employer the appropriate notice, or if they require, compensate your employer with a salary in lieu of notice.
How do you tell your employer you are not returning after maternity leave?
Just have a simple conversation with your employer about your intention of resigning after maternity leave.
According to ‘CBS News’, “You are under no legal obligation to tell your boss whether or not you are coming back after the baby.
In fact, unless there is a wildly different standard in your industry, you’re just expected to give two weeks’ notice before terminating.”
How do I quit my job after maternity leave?
If after your maternity leave you have decided you want to quit your job make sure you have considered all options other than resigning (e.g. flexible hours, change of schedule, going part-time, etc.) but if you are firm with your decision then make sure you have a discussion with your employer.
Then you can hand in your resignation letter including your intention of quitting, the reason (optional), the date of your expected last day of employment (according to your employer’s notice period), thank the company for the opportunity, add a closing statement and sign your letter.
Do you have to pay maternity pay back if you leave?
If you resign your job, you may be required to pay maternity pay back to your employer.
They may deduct any contractual maternity pay that you owe from any outstanding wages or holiday pay.
It is recommended you return to work for a short period after your maternity leave to avoid repaying your contractual maternity pay and you can actually resign at a later date.
What happens if you quit after maternity leave?
If you quit after maternity leave you may have to pay back some or all of your maternity pay.
However, your employer can’t force you to return to work after maternity leave there are some things you may want to consider both financial and legal concerns.
References
Fish4.co.uk: “Post Maternity Leave Resignation Letter Template”
Livecarerr.co.uk: “Resignation Letter Example After Maternity Leave”
Greatsampleresume.com: “Resignation Letter After Maternity Leave”
Semple, N. (n.d.) Resignation After Maternity Leave – How to do it well. Retrieved from Mumandcareer.co.uk.