applying for a leave of absence beyond what FMLA provides

damabo80

Did any of you apply for a personal leave of absence beyond the standard 12 weeks that FMLA provides?

My doctor will probably release me back to work after 8 weeks. At that time, DD will be 39 weeks adjusted, and hopefully close to being able to come home. However, I don't want to put her into day care when she's only 3 weeks adjusted, so I am applying for a personal leave of absence to start after my FMLA runs out, lasting for 8 more weeks.

Did any of you request something similar with your company? If so, how was the outcome? Any tips for getting it approved (doctor's notes, etc)?

katie4253

I am wondering too.  I would LOVE to take a little more time.  If I remember correctly you and your H work for the same company, right?  Maybe the company will be more accepting of you taking more time since you both can't use FMLA. 

damabo80

katie4253:

I am wondering too.  I would LOVE to take a little more time.  If I remember correctly you and your H work for the same company, right?  Maybe the company will be more accepting of you taking more time since you both can't use FMLA. 

Yep. Memory serves correctly. You make a really good point...I'll be sure to include that in my request!

LOL...you and I must be on the same pumping schedule Since it seems like we're usually online at the same times. How are you doing?

katie4253

damabo80:

katie4253:

I am wondering too.  I would LOVE to take a little more time.  If I remember correctly you and your H work for the same company, right?  Maybe the company will be more accepting of you taking more time since you both can't use FMLA. 

Yep. Memory serves correctly. You make a really good point...I'll be sure to include that in my request!

LOL...you and I must be on the same pumping schedule Since it seems like we're usually online at the same times. How are you doing?

Haha!  I thought the same thing when I saw you were online.  I am actually doing pretty good.  Just trying to stay positive.  Gabe had a good day yesterday after a super pissy pants day on Saturday (he was just grumpy, not sleeping much, and lost 27grams).  But, yesterday he gained it back and slept a bunch.  I'm healing well too (the recovery has been a lot less horrifying than I thought it would be).  I hope I can drive after Friday.  It kind of stinks not being able to, but when they did my c/s they saw I had a hernia and had to do a bunch of extra stitching.  I'm on pretty strict lifting (5lbs), stair (only once a day), and driving orders (no driving at all).  

How are you feeling?

ssg73

I am a teacher and had Ella in July (at 30 weeks).  Since I had her when school was out of session and I was technically off contract.  8 weeks after E was born would have been the 2nd day of school in the fall about 2 weeks before her due date.   My district allowed me to take additional fmla, keep my insurance and use sick days to cover my pay at a reduced rate until I went back to school in January.  If i had not had the sick days I would have been able to use the sick bank to cover me.  Companies can give more fmla leave if they want to they are just required by law to give you the 12 weeks I believe.  They can also choose to pay you if they wish.  Good Luck.

Cara03

I am also a teacher. I was hospitalized Dec. 3, 2009 and LO born Dec. 13th. So I was off work from Dec.3 on. Due to a complicated c-section & then infection my doctor wrote a note that I couldn't work again until Feb. (LO was in the NICU until March 21st). I requested additional unpaid leave through the end of the school year which was granted. Due to necessary budget cuts for our district, I was also granted an additional school year of unpaid leave for this current school year. I've been so lucky to be able to stay home all of this time. Good luck to you!

adrielegorburu

I work for a law firm and I took 8 weeks of my FMLA to recover from surgery and to take care of Madi in the NICU - I went back to work part time after those 8 weeks and they are making me use the remainder of my FMLA to cover my short hours (I work 5 hours a day and use 3 hours FMLA each day) because part time employees arent eligible for FMLA.  but because my firm doesnt pay maternity leave pay - I'm taking my three whole months off when the baby comes home, I'm calling it a leave of absence - they can call it whatever they want.  I'm not sure they will hold my position for me but I'm willing to take the chance to spend the time with my munchkin at home

SushiNoMore

We spent 10 weeks in the NICU with my son.  I was supposed to only have 6 weeks of that as paid maternity leave.  My company (my boss at the time, actually) gave me 2 extra weeks of paid maternity leave (as if I'd had a c-section instead of a vaginal birth).  I think she felt guilty because I was on a business trip 300 miles from home when my son was born - it was the least they could do.  ;-)

Then, I took 4 weeks of vacation (I'd banked some from last year).  So, my entire FMLA was paid.

THEN, I took 40 hours of additional paid time through a a program that my company has to give you time off to take care of an ill or injured family member.  After that, I requested 4 more weeks of unpaid time.  So, in total, I will be off for 17 weeks.  13 of those will be paid.

My company actually has a policy to allow you to take unpaid personal leave, which is what I requested.  It's a huge Fortune 500 company, and my benefits there are pretty good.  Does your company have any sort of personal leave policy?  It may be worth speaking with HR about.  Or, perhaps you can go back part time or something.

I looked into splitting my FMLA and taking some of it after my son was born. I was thinking of working remotely for the last month or so of his NICU time.  For a variety of reasons, that didn't end up working out.  I'm actually pretty happy with how things have gone, though.

My request was very drama-free, so I'm not sure I really have any advice for you.  It was almost as if it was understood by my boss and my boss's boss that I would need additional time, so the request itself was no big deal.  I didn't even have to make a written request.  It was basically me saying "I'd like to take 4 more weeks," and they agreed.

Has your company been supportive so far?  If so, it may not be as hard to get extra time as you'd think.  I think my advice would be to talk to HR first to see if there's already some sort of personal leave policy that you can take advantage of.

Good luck!