How to Step Down From Management Position for Family Needs?

[westieluv]

I need advice. I work from home in the capacity of a telephone triage nurse. I like the company that I work for and they like me. A few months ago they offered me a promotion to a middle management position where I am responsible for handling all correspondence and complaints from a group of clients. I am also responsible for training new employees and correcting our employees when they screw up. I am expected to fulfill forty hours a week between these duties and scheduled hours on the phones.

Recently, a very close family member was diagnosed with a horrific, terminal cancer and given 3-6 months to live unless the chemo remotely works, then she has a 50/50 chance to make it to a year from now. She is elderly and needs a lot of assistance as she goes through this and there is almost no family nearby to help.

I REALLY need to step down from this management position right now, cut back my hours, and focus on family but I have only had this position for four months and I dread asking my manager to replace me and put me back on the phones as a regular staff nurse. I am afraid I will be disappointing her and letting her down.

This situation is tearing me up inside. I have an email all typed up to send to her but I am afraid to hit "send". (This is the main way that we communicate in this company since we all live in different areas of the country, I have never even met any of my co-workers face to face).

Help! Advice? Strength to click "send" is needed ASAP.

Thanks!

[Libby1987]

Have you considered asking to cut hours by reducing time on the phone calls and maintaining the mgmt responsibilities with temporarily reduced hours?

[westieluv]

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, I can't do that because it is a salaried position and the expectation is that a certain number of hours need to be worked to meet the salary requirements each week.

[Libby1987]

I would still give them the option of how to best use me to meet their needs.

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

I need advice. I work from home in the capacity of a telephone triage nurse. I like the company that I work for and they like me. A few months ago they offered me a promotion to a middle management position where I am responsible for handling all correspondence and complaints from a group of clients. I am also responsible for training new employees and correcting our employees when they screw up. I am expected to fulfill forty hours a week between these duties and scheduled hours on the phones.

Recently, a very close family member was diagnosed with a horrific, terminal cancer and given 3-6 months to live unless the chemo remotely works, then she has a 50/50 chance to make it to a year from now. She is elderly and needs a lot of assistance as she goes through this and there is almost no family nearby to help.

I REALLY need to step down from this management position right now, cut back my hours, and focus on family but I have only had this position for four months and I dread asking my manager to replace me and put me back on the phones as a regular staff nurse. I am afraid I will be disappointing her and letting her down.

This situation is tearing me up inside. I have an email all typed up to send to her but I am afraid to hit "send". (This is the main way that we communicate in this company since we all live in different areas of the country, I have never even met any of my co-workers face to face).

Help! Advice? Strength to click "send" is needed ASAP.

Thanks!

I'm so sorry about your family member. Your family needs you more than your work does right now.

Maybe try the "What's the worst that could happen if I step down?" question.

• Your manager would be disappointed/inconvenienced
  

The business will go on, as businesses do. Most people understand family emergencies, which is not the same as being irresponsible.

Talk to your boss in person rather than email. She might come up with an alternate solution. Maybe they can appoint an interim manager. Maybe you can look into family leave (talk to Human Resources). Best wishes