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2nd Trimester
Husband has a new job ... no paternity leave
Hey ladies, I have a question ... my husband accepted his dream job in August of this year ... he hasn't been working a year and so he doesn't qualify for paternity leave ... by the time the baby gets here ... he's planning on taking sick time and any leave but I'm not exactly sure how much time he would have accrued by then. He works for the government and he's not planning on telling anyone about my pregnancy because he thinks that you can't "plan for sick leave" etc. ... What are your thoughts about his options ... I"m inclined to say let them know and they may work with you some kind of way. I don't know ... thoughts?
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Re: Husband has a new job ... no paternity leave
I personally would want my dh to tell them. They might be very understanding and honestly even if they are not they are going to feel better to be told the truth then kept in the dark.
I worked at a salon and this new guy started he was there for about 2 months then one day wasn't there and we all asked where he was. He was at the hospital with his wife with her giving birth. He hadn't told ANYONE and we all honestly thought it was super strange!
My husband is a civillian who also works on base. He isnt sure if he gets paternity leave because he will only have been there 9mos when the babies are born.
He is saving all leave, sick leave for the birth and things prior. Another option he is looking at in case of emergency, is to borrow into his leave. The base has an option of taking leave he hasn't earned yet. So when the time comes he has earned the leave he borrows, he just won't get. It is kind of like taking out a "leave loan."
He has told his bosses and supervisors about the pregnancy and his plans and they are all fine with it. In fact, every one is very understanding because a lot of them have babies and have been in the same situation.
GL!
He does not have any vacation or paid time off days.
At my firm we do not have sick days - every thing is paid time off... whether you are sick, on vacation or taking a personal day. If that is the case with his company then he should plan for this ahead of time. I am sure they will be willing to work with him so he could possibly have that first week off.
I think he should definitely talk to them about it. Many companies won't let husbands use sick time for babies, though some bosses are more flexible about that. Just depends. It's definitely worth the conversation and finding out about now. Besides, how's he going to hide having a baby? What about vacation time? Will he have any of that accrued by then?
FWIW - Most of the companies I've been at or DH has been at having had paid paternity leave. While technically they can take family leave under FMLA, it's usually unpaid.
I don't think most companies have actual paternity leave so he'd be lucky if he did have that at his previous job!
I think it would be better to talk to his boss. His boss may work with him and allow him to use PTO, just not have it set in stone for dates (and just have it start when you go into labor). If he just started and you're due in the next few months, it also wouldn't look good for him to call in sick for a week or something so soon after being hired.
And he really would be able to keep it a secret from everyone that you're pregnant, and then after you have the baby? What happens when someone asks if he has any kids and he says no now, but then if he meets someone new just after the baby is here he'd say yes he has a child? He'd probably trip himself up at some point and he wouldn't want his boss finding out he lied. They'd probably think it was very odd!
Does he work for the govt. on a federal level or local here in the area? That would make a difference I think.
Check your state's disability website. In CA we have a thing called Paid Family Leave. Either parent can take 6 weeks off within 1 year of having a baby to care for/bond with the baby. The 6 weeks don't have to be consecutive, but you do have to take the first week without pay (1 week without pay, 5 with, whether you take them consecutively or not.) The company does NOT pay for this, it is paid about 60% of normal pay by the state government. One thing I'm not sure about is if an employer is required to give this leave and protect your job, or if it is up to each employer individually. Good luck!
No. In CA dads are elegible to get 6 weeks at 55% pay through disability for a baby if they have been paying into SDI for the previous year. Your husband get's more $ because of his union contract with the company, but the 55% is through the state's privately funded disability insurance.
The Federal unpaid family leave is 12 weeks if you have worked there for a certain amount of time and they have over 50 employees (government may be excluded)
For those in CA the 6 paid weeks coincides with the federal leave.