Okay, where to start. So I began my position in January 2020. Weird interview process, my boss is strange. But whatever, if she leaves me alone I can do my job. Horrible training, I taught myself almost everything. Covid happened, sent home to work remotely. No reason we couldn't have been at home anyways.. I worked from home 2.5 months after starting the role and quickly became the top performer on the team. Woot! I have the largest account in the company, and was given more vendors as well because I could handle them.
Fast forward to 2021, they've been saying we'd be back in the office “in no time” for over a year. (Despite management downplaying it and even suggesting it was a hoax, president of the company wasn't an idiot.) We didn't need to be there and we all worked better from home, as they even told us countless times. Told “you weren't hired to work from home”, but none of us were thrilled about going in to help justify middle management's necessity or their newly renovated, empty office space.
Mid 2021, husband and I decide to start trying and get pregnant right away. My boss suggests we all go in soon because “covid is practically gone.” Pregnancy goes by, continue working from home. They keep saying that'll change. Finally they say you have to come in 2 days a week. I'm 38 weeks pregnant at that point. Nope. Got a doctor's note. They were pissed, but can't argue with it.
They finally found a temp replacement when I was already 37 weeks pregnant and made me train her. Last minute as hell. Sure. Then she quit. Found another, I had 3 days to train this woman in a job that takes people months to learn. Whatever.
Have baby, enjoy leave, blah blah blah. Monday comes that I'm supposed to start back. Come back to over 900 emails, no word from boss for hours on first day. I find out my temp replacement quit after a week because she couldn't handle the workload. Handling baby and laptop like a champ, whatever it takes.
Boss finally calls me, says hello. She mentions how the team is falling apart (most of the team is older and not in good health), and how we weren't approved for an additional hire that we desperately need. Okay. No mention of coming in. Got an email later asking which 2 days I'm coming in. I replied “I'm not comfortable, willing, or able to physically come into the office”.
Next morning my boss's boss calls me and doesn't say hello, welcome back, nothing. She says, “it is company policy to come into the office 2 days a week. If you do not come in, we will consider it your resignation”. I froze and didn't know what to say. Husband and I agreed: let them fire you. You're not quitting. She goes on that they can't make an exception, it's above her (we were told before it wasn't, it's up to each department). She says I need to find childcare, I can't do both. They'll give me until Tuesday next week to figure it out or resign.
It's Monday night. Just sent an email shitting on them and how they've handled everything- my pregnancy, my return, the pandemic, being short staffed. Said I'm surprised they'd even consider losing me with my workload and recent turnover in mind. I'm not resigning. I'll continue to work at home until they say otherwise and my access is revoked. It could go either way, and I don't care either way.
Tldr: new mom, 3 months postpartum. First day back to work last Monday. Remote since pandemic, only hired 2 months before that. Top performer on team. Not planning on going into office. Told it's “policy” and they'll accept my resignation. I'm not quitting…