?? about maternity leave if I don't go back to work

BosMama626

Hi Ladies - There is a chance I could decide not to go back to work once my materinity leave is up...I just won't know until that time.

I've read that if I don't go back I may just have to pay back my health insurance premiums.  What about my 8 weeks of pay (6 weeks of leave pay and 2 weeks of vacation pay)?  Could they come after me for that?

cvl105

This all depends on your benefits and the company you work for, I would imagine.

march2008

I work for the government and part of my maternity leave paperwork includes an agreement that I can chose one of 2 options: to terminate my benefits while I'm leave or to continue my benefits by either paying my portion of the health benefits each pay period or to incrue a debt that I'll owe later. If I chose the option to incrue a debt, they will withhold what I owe from my paychecks once I return from maternity leave OR it also states they can withhold the debt from future things, like tax refund checks. So for me, if I didn't return to work after maternity leave, they would get the money back from me one way or another.

aussiebabies

It's a sticky situation but you'll most likely have to go to your HR to be sure...My company would have made me pay back my health insurance and maternity leave, the vacation and sick pay was mine either way. This could be totally different for you though, so I don't want to tell you something wrong! Good luck!

ps. what I did was take 5 months leave, go back for 3 months and then quit...As long as you went back for 4 weeks they couldn't go after you (again that was just my experience)

11kacey

I asked my HR "What happens if I cannot come back to work after the baby is born"?

They told me I would NOT owe anything.

BosMama626

Thanks Ladies - Part of the problem is that my company doesn't have an HR department.  I don't want to ask my boss as I think she may thinkt hat something is up...

kmv68

Everyone I know that has decided not to go back, will work for one day and then on the second day give 2 weeks notice upon returning so that all their insurance and leave is paid.  Each company is different though so make sure you find out.

newmomat33

kmv68:

Everyone I know that has decided not to go back, will work for one day and then on the second day give 2 weeks notice upon returning so that all their insurance and leave is paid.  Each company is different though so make sure you find out.

This !! Most companies will make you pay back. The best thing to do is to go back for a few weeks and then quit.

soontobe05

As the others said it all depends on your company policy. I did this though and did not end up owing anything back.

luvbeingmom

i quit the day the following day that my leave ran out, so it was "technically" like working that day, even though i didn't actually go to work.

that is the loop hole to making sure you don't have to pay back insurance premium. all the money your receive during leave, is your money. they can not take that back at all.

from what i read, it's also a very rare occurrence anyway that the company will go after you for the insurance premiums. we had several women never return from maternity leave, and none of them were required to pay back the premiums.

BosMama626

luvbeingmom:

i quit the day the following day that my leave ran out, so it was "technically" like working that day, even though i didn't actually go to work.

that is the loop hole to making sure you don't have to pay back insurance premium. all the money your receive during leave, is your money. they can not take that back at all.

from what i read, it's also a very rare occurrence anyway that the company will go after you for the insurance premiums. we had several women never return from maternity leave, and none of them were required to pay back the premiums.

 

This is what I was hoping to hear.  I'm on my husband's insurance - so the insurance loop hole doesn't matter for me.