I'm Canadian too and was put off work in late Dec (sick leave) and I'm taking the full year as well. I can't imagine only having 12 weeks, I wish all of you the best.
Like others, I get 12 weeks of FMLA so I'll be working until I go into labor (that's the plan anyway). But oh man do I wish the US had some good maternity leave laws in place, what I would give to be able to take the last month off work before baby gets here to rest and get all the last minute things done (like washing baby clothes, last minute details in the nursery, deep cleaning/organizing the house, etc).
My plans are changing as we speak but here what might happen. Maybe 10-11 wks disability, then 10 wks maternity full paid, then hopefully PFL for two weeks. PTO is running low due to currently being on bedrest and possibly going on disability. I'm hoping my company will ask for PTO donations to help me out with the waiting periods.
Okay, so clarification question! I am so curious as to how your employers have their policies set up!!
I am eligible for something like 26 weeks of STD per 12 month period, but while using that, my job is NOT protected. So while I was on bed rest (using STD) and maternity leave (STD) and extension of 2 weeks (vacation), I had to have FMLA running concurrently for my job to be protected.
Do your employers specifically put it in writing (like in your handbook or something) that if you are utilizing STD, your job is guaranteed to be protected and that your FMLA leave is completely separate? If so, that is awesome!
I can take up to 26 weeks of STD per year as well, however I have to have a note from the dr stating the reason for my being out and my company can choose to deny the request if I can still perform most of my job duties. Unlike FMLA leave I can't just take it because I want to go on leave early, and it is covered at a different percentage than my FMLA (I think only 60%). There have been a couple of pregnant women who have tried this. I can't extend my leave past the protected 12 weeks unless I am still having major issues, or my newborn is having major issues and I can't be away. I've only heard of them granting STD to a mom who's baby was born super early and needed to stay in the NICU for several months.
My company pays the first six weeks of maternity leave at 100% for a vaginal birth or eight weeks for a cs, and I can supplement the rest of my leave with PTO or unpaid for the remaining time. My job is only protected for the FMLA period of 12 weeks with maternity leave. If my dr suggests staying out past the 12 weeks I can apply for STD (don't expect to do that) but it can be denied by my company.
The bummer part is my doctors appointments from the beginning to end can not be covered by PTO and have to be unpaid time. I can either flex my hours if it is ok with my boss, or I can use FMLA to cover the time, but then that comes out of my twelve weeks. Some women have used the FMLA for this purpose and have had to return earlier because their protected time ran out. My boss is awesome, I can flex my time and PTO.
I forgot to mention. The FMLA/STD is detailed out in our handbook, but because we are a manufacturing company our production staff is treated a little bit differently than our office staff. There are two different handbooks. If I worked on the line I wouldn't have the same benefits as what they do because their hours are very set based on shift. There has always been an issue between with the office/production staff. They get paid weekly, always hourly including the supervisors on the line, and they get paid for snow days when the plant shuts down.
My leave is kind of up in the air right now. I'm waiting to see if I will get paid for the 6 weeks I plan on being out through short term disability. I broke my finger badly (I broke it right where you would wear a ring and had to have surgery on it to keep the bone in place while it healed) in September and ended up having to use almost 12 weeks short term disability and FMLA to cover my paychecks and job while I was out, since they wouldn't let me go back to work with a splint. If I want to, I can take up to 12 weeks off unpaid and be protected under my state leave act policy. If I can get paid, I'll use PTO to boost my STD paychecks to equal my normal paychecks. If it will be unpaid, then I will use all of my PTO at the beginning.
I worked until I went into labor with DS, and I plan to do that again unless something happens. I work in a school so I won't return to work until August...I'm hoping my principal will be flexible with my extra contract days this summer. I took some deduct days with DS to save my sick days so I should get paid as usual with this kiddo.
I will work up until I go into labor or am put on bedrest. I get 24 weeks, 12 are paid in full, and 12 are unpaid but I can use vacation/ sick time to cover the unpaid time. My maternity leave is one of the few perks of working for a Canadian company.
Re: Maternity Leave
I can take up to 26 weeks of STD per year as well, however I have to have a note from the dr stating the reason for my being out and my company can choose to deny the request if I can still perform most of my job duties. Unlike FMLA leave I can't just take it because I want to go on leave early, and it is covered at a different percentage than my FMLA (I think only 60%). There have been a couple of pregnant women who have tried this. I can't extend my leave past the protected 12 weeks unless I am still having major issues, or my newborn is having major issues and I can't be away. I've only heard of them granting STD to a mom who's baby was born super early and needed to stay in the NICU for several months.
My company pays the first six weeks of maternity leave at 100% for a vaginal birth or eight weeks for a cs, and I can supplement the rest of my leave with PTO or unpaid for the remaining time. My job is only protected for the FMLA period of 12 weeks with maternity leave. If my dr suggests staying out past the 12 weeks I can apply for STD (don't expect to do that) but it can be denied by my company.
The bummer part is my doctors appointments from the beginning to end can not be covered by PTO and have to be unpaid time. I can either flex my hours if it is ok with my boss, or I can use FMLA to cover the time, but then that comes out of my twelve weeks. Some women have used the FMLA for this purpose and have had to return earlier because their protected time ran out. My boss is awesome, I can flex my time and PTO.
**** Formerly Snoflakes4eva****