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2nd Trimester
lulabellalula
member
so mad! Maternity Leave related...
lulabellalula
member
I've sent my HR lady here at work since the beginning of my pregnancy questions related to Maternity Leave, and how long i am eligible for, etc. etc.....we've always had nice conversations back and forth....
now, 2 months before my due date, I asked her to send me the paperwork that I would need to file, and to give me a last breakdown so that I was prepared..
she proceeds to then tell me, JUST NOW tell me, after 7 months, that while i am eligible for 17 weeks of maternity leave, my company is only responsible for 50% of my health insurance premium for 12 weeks! umm what?! this is news to me!
So now, she is telling me that for the month of May (due date month) i will be responsible for half the premium which amounts fo $330....
and for June/July - after adding the baby onto my insurance, it will increase to $440.
and those are just those 12 weeks...if i decided i wanted to take the full 17 weeks, the last month i would be responsible for the premium...of $955!!
And I am also eligible for an additional 12 weeks under the California Family Leave Act...but i would be responsible for the premium during those additional 3 months.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! why didn't she tell me ANY of this before when i asked??! This was NOT expenses that my husband & I prepared and set aside maternity leave money for...and not only that, but there's no way i can take the full 17 weeks now that the last month's premium is almost as much as our rent!!!
i'm SO upset.
Oh, and the reasoning behind my not having full coverage, is because i'm considered part time. I work about 30 hours a week, and to be considered full time, it's 35+
which i was aware of, but not when it came down to my benefits coverage for maternity leave. she should have informed me of this info when i first asked months ago.
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Re: so mad! Maternity Leave related...
Any chance your husband can pick up coverage for the family while you're out?
well, we had set aside so much $$ already in our savings to be alloted towards my leave...and this expense is so unexpected and LARGE that it's going to be tough...and not only that, but now i won't be able to take my full 17 weeks to be with our baby.
And i would have him add our baby to his insurance so my coverage stays the same and wouldn't increase during my leave, but his insurance SUCKS.
That does really suck. I don't really have any advice. At least you know this now, so you can try to set a little bit aside to help cover it.
When I had DD, it never even crossed my mind to ask my HR lady about my insurance. I was just lucky enough to get a bill a month into my leave for half of my insurance premium. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper.
Oh, I forgot to add, do they expect you to come in and pay this each month? Most companies would just wait until you return and then maybe you can work out with them how much each week to take out of your check until you have fully paid them back.
So, I'm in Los Angeles and just had a similar conversation with my HR lady. I'm full time, so I dont know if that's why it's different, but she was telling met hat I had to pay what ever amount I'm currently paying into my insurance while I'm out. So, for instance, if I'm currently putting $50 into my health/vision/dental on top of what they cover, then I would mail them a check for that $50 each month.
Don't get me started on the amount it will cost to add baby -- it's a freaking joke.
Do you qualify for SDI?
Land of the free.
lol
Pregnancy # 6
4 missed chances
2 loving children
1 on the way
I understand your frustration...when I was pregnant with #1 my employer failed to tell me that our union oppted out of paying into SDI (since we are a school district-I guess they can opt out). Well HR told me after I was 6 months pregnant so I didn't get any pay what-so-ever for being on maternity leave for 6 weeks. I am only a couple hours away from you (in Stockton) and I would give anything to work for a company that gives 17 weeks...are they hiring?! Lol!
Hang in there, try to save every bit you can and take the extra weeks off...you wont regret it-I am considering taking the 12 weeks FMLA this time around and it will hurt us financially since it isn't paid but we are going to make it work!
That really sucks that she did not tell you that. Like PP said, most companies will pay our insurance while you are out and will ask for payment of your portion when you return. My last job took out what I owed them in a few paychecks when I returned so it was not as much of a shock.
17 weeks is great. I can get as much time as I want but I get paid $0 for any of it because I am only a contract employee right now.
Hi ladies,
yea it really bites the big one...my company offers 17 weeks 3 days, plus i am able to take the California Family Leave Act which would give me an additional 12 weeks...but we're not able to afford that since it would be unpaid.
I work 30 hours a week, and in order to qualify for "full time benefits" i have to have worked 35+...wish she would have told me this earlier as well so that I could have started doing so!
My hubby is pretty peeved at the lady too for not informing me of this information, but he wants me to take the full 17 weeks, so we're just going to have to cough up the dough...!
and to a PP I agree....the US has horrible maternity leave benefits!!! >.<
we should all move to Sweden! lol