Current Events > Would you take unpaid time off in this situation for COVID-19?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Wife is due with baby at end of May. Can take one week paid time off at that time if I choose a work-from-home position but then have to go back to work and can only help her on a very limited basis (unpaid leave is an option but there's about a 90% chance I have no position to return to). Otherwise I can simply take 2 months unpaid time-off no questions asked and my position is secured to come back after.

1. I become a temporary work from home customer service employee taking 8hr a day calls from customers. I would not get to take any additional time off, currently started a new position that's contracted and have not accumulated additional time or FMLA. No day-care options due to COVID, so my wife would be taking care of three kids right after childbirth with little to no help during my 8-9hr shifts. If she has to have a c-section or any other complications, I'd have to take unpaid time-off and my job would have no job security (there's a good chance I am replaced but my supervisor won't tell me that of course).
2. I take 2 months unpaid time-off for a current COVID-19 option the company is offering, guaranteed to return to my position as is, it just so happens to be an exception the company is making which overlaps with my child's birth. I get to spend the time helping take care of my newborn, but sacrifice appx. $6500 after-tax. The upsides here are if there are any issues, I don't have to stress and can take care of my family. If there aren't any issues, I simply get to help my wife and get the time with them.

We have enough saved up for around 6 months of me being able to completely be off, so it's not an issue of the money...it's just that $6500 is still a pretty big chunk of change and there's a possibility that the little one comes out perfectly fine and my wife is able to take care of them all (still a challenge). At the same time, it's time off I cannot otherwise take without a very high chance of simply being without a job, so if I dedicate to working from home, that's what I'm doing...not juggling customer calls and kids, it's a dedicated thing with heavy calls. So I'd be helping at night only (which then of course will impact me actually performing the job, that's not a huge concern but under current stresses it's something to factor).

Also, key details: the little guy has about a 75% chance he goes into NICU for a few weeks after being born and my wife might have to have a scheduled c-section, in which case I'd likely have to take the unpaid time off then (but not the COVID-19 option that secures my job, just a voluntary leave). I have to decide between options within the next couple days and can't change later, because it's a temporary position being offered and essentially a "choose now" thing.

We're leaning on just taking the time off and making sure my job is secure for later while not struggling to take care of a family amid all of these concerns, including the real possibility that my wife might have to deliver alone and I'd be taking care of our two kids now, or if there are any complications, I'd be there for them. Not to mention it is time with my family vs working a new position full-time dealing with angry customers in essential infrastructure then when off trying to assist with a newborn.

It's a shitty dilemma and I feel like the family one is important to me, but $6500 is no joke to help in the current economy when we don't know what's going to happen in the coming months. Not to mention the medical bills if this little guy has to have surgery (we have good insurance but it's still extra).

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