Maternity Leave Experiences??

Paid Maternity Leave

Hi everyone,

Just wondering what maternity leave was like for moms on here. Were you given paid leave or did you have to save up your sick days and other types of leave?

kmwills

My company changed their policy just last year.  With my first two children, I was given 6 weeks paid leave under short-term disability.  Under FMLA, I was permitted to be on leave for 13 weeks, so anything beyond that first 6 weeks, I had to use a combo of sick and vacation days.  We were also given one week of parental leave.  Anything beyond that up to the 13 weeks had to be taken unpaid.

As of 2016, we are now afforded 10 weeks paid under short-term disability, plus another 6 weeks parental leave, which can be taken any time within 1 year of the baby's birth.

snowflake2214

I used a combination of stored up sick days and unpaid leave. 

SaphireSweetie88

I don't get any maternity leave that's paid but I can take up to 12 weeks under FMLA but if I want to be paid I have to take my 4 weeks sick pay (at 75% of my pay rate) 10 days vacation and 2 PTO days. Anything after that is unpaid.

Mylitta

I get 4 weeks paid. I can take up to the 12 weeks from fmla, but either need to take it unpaid, supplement with short term disability at 60% pay, or paid time off. Luckily I have enough time and will take the full 12.

diana_3481

I seem to be very lucky in this respect.  I will be taking 12 weeks.  I get the first 30 days paid at 100% then the rest of the STD paid out at 60% which I can supplement with my saved vacation time to get a full "paycheck".  I have been here 14 years and i get 5 weeks a year.  I have that in the bank right now and to supplement the 60% will only be using 16 hours of vacation time per week.  So at the end of my maternity leave I will still have 2-3 weeks of my vacation time on the books.  My company also offers 3 weeks 100% paid Family leave to everyone (mom or dad) that can be taken anytime in the first year after having a baby (or adopting etc).  We can take it in conjunction with FMLA and STD or save it for use later in the first year.  

livingthedream-3

Technically it was just STD, not maternity leave, and I got 80% for 8 weeks (I had a c/s, so normally it was 6 weeks) and I added on some vacation and personal days to get me to 11 weeks.

tmrussell

At my job we have to save up your PTO we get pretty generous however I am new so I don't have much. I signed up for STD when I started so I will have that plus my paid time off.  The rest of my time will be  unpaid under FMLA.

GinaS0192

I got 6 weeks paid STD, at 60% pay. 

nostalgicgirl

In my organization they have a structured leave system with 8 weeks paid leaves plus you can add you apply for yearly leaves as well 

nackie

I got 6 weeks disability at 60% pay.  The other 6 weeks I took vacation or leave with pay

kacw1025

I took 6 weeks of maternity leave paid at 70% and another 6 weeks of bonding time with 2 weeks of that paid at 70% as well. The other 4 I just took unpaid because I wanted to save my PTO. 

marijaa333

I work for a bit international company and we get 14 weeks paid, which is way less time than in most other developed countries. I think 6 months paid should be the minimum, with the option of taking another 3-6 months unpaid if the mom wants to. Hope we can all get there someday soon...

hoticecream

I am surprised! i thought every mom has maternity leave, i was lucky to have 3 months maternity leave (80% payment), and because my baby refused nursing bottle after breastfeeding, i asked another 2 weeks holiday (no payment) to have him adapt to the bottle.

malaki1418

I used FMLA to protect my job. It was unpaid leave, but I was able to utilized short-term disability to pay for 4 weeks at 60% pay, sick leave to pay for 2 weeks (full pay), vacation to pay for 2 weeks (full pay) and 4 weeks were unpaid. Came back and had 0 leave balance. Also, had to pay for insurance out of pocket during the 2 weeks on disability and the 4 weeks of unpaid leave time.