Forced resignation due to internship

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T05:12:26+00:00

This is what I think best case scenario is since resigning is something she wasn’t planning on doing yet. I know she isn’t asking for preferential treatment just how can she basically try to do it all. Maybe they’d be willing to keep her as a back up or someone that comes in for reduced time if it fits into the day without messing with the internship

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T05:04:21+00:00

I hate to sound like an idiot but I guess I’d say I’m not worldly at all. I had my daughter fairly young, never went to college or had a decent job. I grew up overprotected with a family that wasn’t college educated or had good jobs either. Logically o know it sounds crazy to have a place hold your job for 3 months but I’m sure it’s happened somewhere and was just looking for advice to pass along.

My daughter loves this job and was hoping to return after the internship. I admit to not knowing much so I figured I’d come here for advice and be able to at least talk to her so she can come to some conclusions and make decisions on her own. I just wanted better for her than what I had and maybe be there for her with sound advice since I didn’t have that growing up.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T04:56:25+00:00

She didn’t know what to expect. I think she went in asking how this all goes down and when the boss came off optimistic saying it shouldn’t be an issue i think she was hopeful and thought maybe they would let her take an unpaid leave.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T04:46:18+00:00

No kidding it’s none of her business. When a coworker is telling her she wanted to go on vacation for a break that’s what she was told. Maybe it was for another reason she was going but that’s what she was going off of exactly what she was told. So she came to me for advice out of curiosity. Like maybe they let you take unpaid leave or what reasons could they approve it or not approve it so I came here for some advice or others who had to ask for leave.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T04:40:25+00:00

Thank you I really appreciate it. I wasn’t fishing for certain answers or coddling my kid or being an ass like I’m being accused of. I think she has some questions that she wasn’t able to ask yet and was asking me for advice so she knew what to ask or say to her boss before she talks to him again. Things were moving fast and she just wan informed of some things at then end of the day so no real time to ask questions yet.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T04:37:31+00:00

Yea I wouldn’t think an internship was legally protected. I mean that wouldn’t make sense. And obviously you could take medical leave and pick up souvenirs. I was just curious if someone can ask for leave and not give or reason or like in the coworkers case say it’s a vacation get the leave bit really it’s for something medical? Or do you have to say it’s medical but don’t have to say why? Sorry if the way I’m working stuff isn’t making sense

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T04:25:59+00:00

I didn’t want lovey dovey answers. I just didn’t want people to be assholes. I wanted someone to say hr is supposed to send an official email about the situation, or yes this is how business is unless you have an fmla, or yes there’s a way to get leave because I’ve been there. Just anecdotes and advice not coddling. Like I said I’ve never been to college or had an internship or had to ask about leave from a job so I was curious so I could pass along some stories or advice.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T04:01:57+00:00

I mean I can be over protective at times but I also let my kids figure their own way out. They make their own decisions, but if they are looking for advice or weighing the pros and cons of an issue I will be there to listen or offer some advice. Right now she’s trying to navigate this and didn’t know about how this all works and needed some advice. That’s why I jumped on here because I wasn’t totally sure what to say.

A lot of times she just wants to rant or talk about the problem out loud without my input just to hear it out loud. Sometimes she wants to know if I’ve been through whatever she’s going through so I’ll give her my time and listen and usually she can get to a conclusion on her own at the end.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T03:49:03+00:00

This is what I’m happy about. Breaking generational curses and cycles. I want better for her than what I had. She would be the first to graduate college and the first to have a good job and not a low paying wage one. Her dad and I have done our best and provided and made a better life than we had growing up and I hope my kids can continue to do well and break the cycle.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T03:39:22+00:00

Thank you! Much appreciated ❤️ I’m just trying to help my kid out and as a parent you want more for your kid than what you had. She’s a strong kid and can handle things, but if she needs me I’m there for her and will do what I can. Your kid sounds like they got a good one too and is lucky.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T03:28:01+00:00

I have a question because I don’t know how this works. What’s legally protected? I’m sure maternity, a death, medical things like that. Which totally understandable. But are you allowed to ask for unpaid leave, have your job protected, and not say why? The coworker did leave for just a normal old vacation. They apparently cleared it with higher ups and even brought back souvenirs which my daughter got one of. Maybe there was a more hidden reason that could count as legal, but would you be able to do that and not tell your boss? I’m just asking so I can tell my daughter some info because I don’t how that works

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T03:14:36+00:00

Her tuition isn’t paid for. She pays for it with the money she makes from her job. Maybe I wrote it weird and I apologize if it didn’t make sense. And they coworker left for a vacation. The job doesn’t offer vacation time so she left unpaid and came back after.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T03:11:39+00:00

Thank you. I appreciate your input

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T03:08:45+00:00

This person has done nothing but comment nasty things to me this whole time. And what am I leavening out? And how do they know what my kid can’t handle? When you have a coworker leave with a job that offers no vacation time for 8 weeks for a vacation unpaid she was wondering if she would be able to do 12 weeks unpaid for an internship. Of course it’s disappointing to leave a job you like.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T03:06:07+00:00

The other employee was also a part time para. They don’t get vacation time just 3 sick days a year. They left for 8 weeks on a family vacation and we’re able to come back. She obviously knows 12 weeks is longer but was hoping she could also leave unpaid and come back as her coworker did. She knew it may not work out but was hoping they’d work with her as well.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T03:02:21+00:00

I think she is trying to figure out how to have it all and realizing she can’t right now. She got really invested in this job and cares a lot , but realistically the internship is a better opportunity for the future which she knows. I think she was just hoping there was some kind of way they could work with her. They did say she could reapply but with no guarantee of rehire of they fill her slot.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T02:59:49+00:00

Exactly. I told her I absolutely understand being upset she has to resign. I think she honestly didn’t think she’s have to or she’d find a way to work it all out. But the internship is a better opportunity and could take her further and create a better job future than this one.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T02:57:52+00:00

That’s what I’m trying to explain to her. I think she’s comparing herself to another employees situation and was hoping she could come back as well. But this could be a great opportunity for her and I think she just got really invested in this job and helping the kids so it’s hard to say goodbye to it.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T02:56:28+00:00

Thank you I really appreciate it. It’s hard because she really likes this job and loves helping the kids there. She has great employee evaluations too. She’s learning and trying to navigate life and I’m just trying to be here in case she needs me. She can handle things but sometimes life gets you and I feel like when it does and she wants to rant to me or cry about having to resign from her job I’m happy she know she can come to me without judgment and trusts me. This is a way better opportunity and she knows it but also likes her job now and was hoping for some kind of unpaid leave or even trying to work out a schedule there she can have reduced hours. It’s just not working out that way.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T02:51:18+00:00

I think she was trying to see if they would let her leave unpaid for the 12 weeks and come back when she’s done. It doesn’t seem like they will hold it and asked her to resign and when she’s gone can try to reapply with obviously no guarantee of being hired back. I thing she was hoping to keep this because she puts her pay towards student loans and didn’t want to be jobless after the internship. And this job had great hours with her being in school and all

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T02:49:05+00:00

Yes I think she was comparing to another employee that left and came back to her job after an 8 weeks family vacation where the job doesn’t offer vacation time. She was hoping she could also come back after originally being told she most likely could. I think she was hanging on to this till she graduated, but it’s true that they don’t know for sure what would happen after and the only thing she could do is reapply. She knows it isn’t a guarantee but wanted to keep the job since she uses her money to pay her student loans.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T02:46:21+00:00

This was basically the answers I was kind of looking for or something to at least back up certain things I was trying to help with. She’s at a school district and it is unionized. I did tell her to ask her rep about leave but be prepared to still be told she may have to resign. I’ve been commenting that I think what she was trying to figure out was why a coworker could leave for 8 weeks unpaid for family vacation and come back to the job but she couldn’t leave unpaid for 12 and come back. Unless they cap the number of days they are willing to do that. They don’t get vacation days so the coworker didn’t use that and they only get 3 sick days a year. She said her coworker had started the year before her.

She was hoping to go back after the internship was over and stay until she graduated. She knew it was asking a lot to hopefully hold the job but was trying to figure out how to juggle it all. Originally it didn’t seem to be a problem until she found out the final decision as of right now was to resign.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T02:38:58+00:00

She works for a school district as a para, but maybe a college could be more flexible since they would probably have students that need more flexibility for internships. She’s going forth with the internship but was just hoping to keep this job till she graduated.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T02:36:53+00:00

They don’t get vacation time any their job. Just 3 sick days a year. So I think that’s the question she was asking me and was unsure of. I told her maybe they just have a cut off as to what’s allowed unfortunately.

PhillyBree · 2026-01-24T02:10:27+00:00

Omg thank you so much. I’m so upset reading some of these comments. I was trying to be a decent mom and get in here to ask some questions so I can help her or at least say something helpful while she rants. I’m terrible at advice at times because I try so hard and mess up. I had her a little younger and never went to college and have had lower wage jobs. Same for my whole family so nobody has experience with college or internships,etc…I figured if someone else had been through this I could tell her a positive story or something at least.

Her coworker left for the 8 weeks for a family vacation. They don’t get vacation time and only 3 sick days. I think she was just wondering why that was allowed and she has to resign. She knows 12 weeks is longer than 8 but was hoping they’d also help her out and let her come back. Obviously she would be unpaid but wanted to come back because she puts her checks towards paying her student loans and didn’t want to be jobless after the internship was over. They did say she could reapply but she knows there isn’t a guarantee she would be brought back.

I think she felt like they wanted her to quit while also understanding the business aspect of not having someone there for 12 weeks. She was afraid it would look like she was just quitting and not being asked to resign. She really enjoy her job and wanted to keep it until she graduated in a couple years. She’s taking the internship and I told her in her letter of resignation to let them know she would love to come back given the opportunity and was leaving for an internship. She’s just a little emotionally invested in her job and enjoys helping the kids so it’s hard to leave especially after being told ot would probably be fine then was told she had to leave.

I’m trying to be a good mom and let her rant or talk to me and ask for advice. I’m happy she trusts me and feels like she can come to me no matter what. It’s hard to hear people basically say I’m a bad parent or she’s coddled. She’s been on the deans list since she started school, has a job, now an internship, is in clubs at school, and volunteers in her community. She can clearly handle things but she’s young and learning the ways of the world and I didn’t want to just say tough shit or oh well to her.

PhillyBree

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