My best friend is in Canada and she's a teacher, so she'll be getting the year off with all her benefits and most of her salary - why did I move again ???
My in-laws are in England. Their jaws hit the floor when I explained to them about the maternal leave policies (or lack thereof) in this country.
My office JUST changed its policy to give all new parents 12 weeks at 100%. I feel very very fortunate to be where I am.
The price of daycare for us is crazy because of where we live and the fact that we are having twins. 23-year-old me would not be able to do it. 33 - year-old me is in a good spot career wise so it would not be worth me staying home at this point. Besides, I like my career and working in technology, taking a break is practically a nail in the coffin.
@josie12367 - I returned to work on a super part time basis after a month with my daughter, not for financial reasons but just to have 8 hours a week that I could talk to other adults and get out of the house. It was great and helped keep me sane. Totally get it.
This time I'm taking three months completely off and then going back to work just two days a week and quitting my FT gig for similar reasons. I don't have to work for financial reasons, but I do enjoy my PT job and it pays ridiculously well. We are very fortunate that DH owns his own business and makes his own schedule so he can accomodate when I choose to go back to work. We also have a bunch of money in our savings just in case. We make enough to live from DH, but it's nice to have a back-up plan.
Another consideration, the cost of childcare here in the city is nuts for an infant. great article I read earlier this week:
I live in Canada. We get 1 year. I couldn't imagine only having 12 weeks! After a year or two of being at SAHM I'm going to be going to university so that I can advance my career at the hospital. I had no idea maternity leave was so short in the US.
Same as others- teacher, working until due date (5/26), using PTO through end of school year (MA goes until late June) & back in Aug... Assuming I find a new job once we move back to TX in July. Summer will be stress central.
With my last two kiddos, I took 6 weeks off. My paid time off was equivalent to 2-3 weeks and I stretched it out by working from home one week after birth. The timing of this baby's birth hits as school gets out, which makes me want to take the whole summer off to enjoy all the kiddos. I will still work from home as long as my company will let me. My mom moved in with us after my dad died, and she has offered to watch the baby when I return to work.
I'm lucky in that my company will pay 100% salary for STD for 6-8 weeks after birth and you can normally start it 2 weeks before the due date with any excuse from the dr and only 1 week off that comes out of sick time. Then I get 2 weeks off of Parental leave (guys get this too) and can follow up with vacation/unpaid leave for up to a total of 6 months. I have enough vacation that I think I'm going to be able to have 3 1/2 months off at 100% pay and still have a little bit of vacation left over for the holidays.
I'm a FTM so I can't answer the 'was it long' enough question, but I am currently planning on taking 12 weeks. I have to use PTO for the first week, then I get 2 weeks full pay, 3 weeks STD at 60%, and then another 6 weeks full pay for bonding time. My husband's company gives him 2 weeks paternity, but he may get an additional 1-2 weeks continuous pay since I may have some complications.
We save like crazy, but I hate the thought of only having 1 income. I make more money than my husband, but I'm working on a flexible work proposal to present to my boss at my annual review next week so that I can maximize my time at home (saving commute time by WFH or working 4 longer days, etc.). I am DREADING that conversation given he has made it very clear what he thinks of any woman needing flexible hours with her babies, but I owe it to our family to give it a shot.
I'm not sure how your hours work, but that may be an option for you? I am trying to only have my baby in daycare 3 days, with either me not working a day, my mother watching, or shifting hours so my DH and I can cover it.
In terms of pay, I agree with everyone who said a budget! I LOVE budgeting, and update mine 2-3x a week with what we spent. It makes decision making that much easier because you can decide certainly whether you can afford to cut back or quit completely, without worrying you will find out too late.
Thanks @aliciad39 I have thought about seeing if I could work part time or maybe adjust hours and work longer days but the problem is I am a nurse in a clinic and work for the government so I don't think my boss even has the capability to let me adjust my schedule/days/hours, etc. I will ask but I'm almost certain its not possible unless I would find another job which I'd rather not to. I've done my budget and theres no way we can afford for me to not work.. so I'm stuck and have limited options!
Texas teacher here...I will probably go on FMLA, but not sure because I'm due in late May (the 27th). The bookkeeper thinks I should initiate the paperwork anyway just in case I deliver earlier. I have 88 sick days as well. I don't know how it will work, if the summer is considered FMLA but I estimate at the end of August I can return to work Hubs is also a teacher. We're likely going daycare though.
I get 10 weeks of maternity leave, fully paid at 100%. I will be adding 2 weeks of PTO onto the end, so that I will have 12 weeks with the baby. This is my third child. With my first two, I also went back to work at 12 weeks. I am not going to lie, it was probably the hardest thing I had to do, especially with my first. But I promise it got easier with time, and little by little you actually begin to enjoy the little alone time you have for your commute and the whole hour you get to eat a hot meal! Staying home was never really an option for me. I make a nice salary, and it's needed for the mortgage, car payments, etc. For me to have to stay home, we would have had to make some drastic changes. Now with #3, I am definitely going back to work, but trying to figure out if we will be able to swing part time instead. Good luck!
I've requested 6 months off from my boss. She's a 50-60 year old woman with no children. The last three women to have children at my job were allowed 6 months or more. I've been there for a year and a half. My boss's response was that she'd "have to think about it." She "allows 6 months sometimes, but usually for people who have been here for a little longer." I spoke with her 3 weeks ago and she said she'd let me know "soon." I'm now thinking about my options. I love my job, but I also love my soon to be baby boy and I'd would prefer over anything not to leave him with a nanny before 6 months. I'm also not in a position where I HAVE to work, but I imagine I'd be pretty bored staying home permanently.
I live in Canada. We get 1 year at 55% of salary (up to a maximum salary, so in many cases less than 55%). I really am shocked and saddened by the maternity leave in the States. I really hope for the sake of Mommies everywhere that changes. Many women in Canada don't take the full year, simply because they cannot afford to go that long at half their income. However, it's comforting to know the option is there if you can make it work. I have a deep respect for those of you that return to work after only 12 weeks...I don't know how you ladies do it, but I am in awe of you. You are all rockstars
I plan on taking my 12 weeks with FMLA.. but I'm afraid how my boss and co worker will react. Although it is not their choice.. this is MY child and anything before 12 weeks is too soon for me since I know I have to come back and staying home is not an option. When did you all decide to talk with your bosses about how much time you plan to take off??
I plan on taking my 12 weeks with FMLA.. but I'm afraid how my boss and co worker will react. Although it is not their choice.. this is MY child and anything before 12 weeks is too soon for me since I know I have to come back and staying home is not an option. When did you all decide to talk with your bosses about how much time you plan to take off??
If at all possible, I'd speak with HR first, then with your boss. The HR person can help you better understand your rights/options and an also help you prepare for the talk with your boss. Even if it's a smaller company without an HR department, there should be someone you can talk to (who is in charge of your benefits?)
@kp90 When I told my boss I was pregnant, I explained my plan for how my work would be covered while I was gone. He agreed but never specifically asked how long I am taking and I never said. I haven't decided when I'm going to address it with him but I'm seriously considering just waiting until I fill out the FMLA paperwork a month before. I'm entitled to take the time and have ensured that everything major is covered. Outside of that I'd prefer not making a huge deal of it.
I'm also in Canada, but self-employed...that means that unless I paid into Employment Insurance (EI), I don't get anything. In my case, the 55% did not represent much, and we couldn't afford to have me off for an entire year anyway as I make the biggest income in our household. So we've been saving up so I can take 5 months completely off. I'll then be returning part time, and am choosing work based on what allows me to do a good chunk of my hours from home. My husband is eligible for 17 weeks at full pay (and up to 45 weeks at 55%) at his current job. However, the company is going through a restructuration...so we'll know in the next week or two whether he gets to keep the job and great benefits. If he does, then he's taking 17 weeks, and from there we'll see (baby boy would then be 8 months or so). We're hoping for #2 fairly quickly after, so we may just get a part-time nanny until I go on leave again. If DH loses his job, then I'd have my fingers crossed he'll find something as flexible as what he has now and maybe he can be home with baby and 'work' while I'm out 3 mornings/week...but PT nanny seems more likely. It's been tough to know this will be happening for the last 4 months and not be able to plan anything concretely because of the situation (he hasn't spoken about it at all at work out of fear of getting canned in the restructure when the company paid lots of money for him to move here 2 years ago...they're also still paying part of our mortgage for the next 2 years, so we're assuming they'd have to give us that should he be laid off).
Being in Canada, I get the 'Oh, you're not taking very long...', which guilt trips me a bit. However, I could not see myself as a SAHM and financially, we need my income to keep the lifestyle we have. It all makes for difficult decisions though...
I plan on taking my 12 weeks with FMLA.. but I'm afraid how my boss and co worker will react. Although it is not their choice.. this is MY child and anything before 12 weeks is too soon for me since I know I have to come back and staying home is not an option. When did you all decide to talk with your bosses about how much time you plan to take off??
If at all possible, I'd speak with HR first, then with your boss. The HR person can help you better understand your rights/options and an also help you prepare for the talk with your boss. Even if it's a smaller company without an HR department, there should be someone you can talk to (who is in charge of your benefits?)
I did speak to HR awhile back which is where I got my FMLA form and they told me with FMLA I'm entitled to 12 weeks but I have to use my leave and the rest will be unpaid.. which I am fine with. I am just afraid of my bosses reaction and my other co worker but at the same time like I said I almost don't care what they say because its MY time with MY child.. I'm just nervous. And I mean technically he can't fire me or deny my FMLA... that's the whole point of it.. right? I mean I guess that was my understanding when I talked to HR. Its just very stressful because I want to ensure my 12 weeks.
@kp90 I can understand why you are nervous/afraid. My bosses have always been awesome and flexible and supportive, but I was still really nervous to tell them that I would be going on maternity leave!
I think the sooner you tell your boss, the better for everyone. You'll feel better for having gotten it out of the way, and your boss will be thankful for giving advance notice. If you do get any grief for your decisions, you will be armed with the HR info that you are ENTITLED to the leave. You might be surprised at how supportive they'll be (I hope that's the case), but either way, you are well within your rights.
Re: How long? (Maternity leave & other)
The price of daycare for us is crazy because of where we live and the fact that we are having twins. 23-year-old me would not be able to do it. 33 - year-old me is in a good spot career wise so it would not be worth me staying home at this point. Besides, I like my career and working in technology, taking a break is practically a nail in the coffin.
This time I'm taking three months completely off and then going back to work just two days a week and quitting my FT gig for similar reasons. I don't have to work for
financial reasons, but I do enjoy my PT job and it pays ridiculously well. We are very fortunate that DH owns his own business and makes his own schedule so he can accomodate when I choose to go back to work. We also have a bunch of money in our savings just in case. We make enough to live from DH, but it's nice to have a back-up plan.
Another consideration, the cost of childcare here in the city is nuts for an infant. great article I read earlier this week:
https://fortune.com/2015/10/06/childcare-rent-women-workforce/
Little brother was born October 1, 2012.
We save like crazy, but I hate the thought of only having 1 income. I make more money than my husband, but I'm working on a flexible work proposal to present to my boss at my annual review next week so that I can maximize my time at home (saving commute time by WFH or working 4 longer days, etc.). I am DREADING that conversation given he has made it very clear what he thinks of any woman needing flexible hours with her babies, but I owe it to our family to give it a shot.
I'm not sure how your hours work, but that may be an option for you? I am trying to only have my baby in daycare 3 days, with either me not working a day, my mother watching, or shifting hours so my DH and I can cover it.
In terms of pay, I agree with everyone who said a budget! I LOVE budgeting, and update mine 2-3x a week with what we spent. It makes decision making that much easier because you can decide certainly whether you can afford to cut back or quit completely, without worrying you will find out too late.
GOOD LUCK!!
Hubs is also a teacher. We're likely going daycare though.
Suggestions??
Being in Canada, I get the 'Oh, you're not taking very long...', which guilt trips me a bit. However, I could not see myself as a SAHM and financially, we need my income to keep the lifestyle we have. It all makes for difficult decisions though...
I did speak to HR awhile back which is where I got my FMLA form and they told me with FMLA I'm entitled to 12 weeks but I have to use my leave and the rest will be unpaid.. which I am fine with. I am just afraid of my bosses reaction and my other co worker but at the same time like I said I almost don't care what they say because its MY time with MY child.. I'm just nervous. And I mean technically he can't fire me or deny my FMLA... that's the whole point of it.. right? I mean I guess that was my understanding when I talked to HR. Its just very stressful because I want to ensure my 12 weeks.
I think the sooner you tell your boss, the better for everyone. You'll feel better for having gotten it out of the way, and your boss will be thankful for giving advance notice. If you do get any grief for your decisions, you will be armed with the HR info that you are ENTITLED to the leave. You might be surprised at how supportive they'll be (I hope that's the case), but either way, you are well within your rights.