My work software won't let me log in when my VPN is on, but I can turn it on after logging in and use it (I don't understand that at all).  Reading your post made me realize, I'd failed to turn it back on after logging into my work software.  Thanks. 

 This is extremely advanced but if you're game, there are plenty of ways you can configure routing rules so that it uses the vpn for specific IPs except some specific ones.
I have some rules like that precisely because of this sort of issues. 

 I'll have to look into that.