Any wonder breastfeeding gets sabotaged?
Judy Ritchie

Maternity leave may be no break
By Geoff Williams

Ariel Carpenter, a Los Angeles public relations executive, didn't give
birth at her desk, but that might have been easier.  She spent much of
her three-month maternity leave handling projects from home and fielding
up to five calls a day from her colleagues.  "They even called me at the
hospital the day after I delivered!" she says.

Blame it on a slower economy and short-staffed offices:  More moms are
finding themselves in a similar situation, says Jodi Grant of the
National Partnership for Women & Families.  But under the Family and
Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you have the right to a work-free leave,
because you're not being paid for your time.  You're legally protected
from being penalized for refusing to work while you're out.

Still, you might want to make yourself available for some requests, to
stay in your boss's good graces.  Here are ways to keep the workload
manageable, especially if the FMLA doesn't apply to you or you're on
paid leave:

Line up pinch-hitters.  Designate co-workers to handle your duties, and
spend a few weeks getting them up to speed beforehand.

Set up ground rules.  If calls are unavoidable, explain that you'll only
accept them at the end of the day or at lunchtime.

Say no with savvy.  One approach:  "I cannot focus on this a hundred
percent right now, so if it can't wait, it is better that so-and-so
handles it."

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