Hi Everybody,
I'm 14 weeks. My bosses know I'm preggers, and they know my due date is in October. What i haven't done yet is talk directly with HR. Any ideas on when you're supposed to do that? Immediately? Or is now too early? My boss said she wanted to go to HR with me. Is that normal? And if I wait on my boss to get a free moment, I might be waiting until July... Thoughts? When did you go to HR to discuss benefits and whatnot?
Re: When do you talk to your HR department about maternity leave?
Open Heart Surgery @ 5 months old.Happy, healthy, and as normal as could be! We thank God every day.EP/BF for 12.5 months
TTC#2 - November 2012
BFP #4: O'd on CD25 (Aug. 2014). DD May 6, 2015. RCS planned.
Beta@14dpo: 184, 17dpo: 520. 44 hr. doubling time. p4: 54U/S 8 weeks 1 day, 161 bpm
We don't actually go through HR for our maternity leave. We have an employee service center (basically a 3rd party vender) that handles all leave raequest and STD claims. Our policy is for maternity you have to contact them at least 30 days before your expected leave date.
I called them around 20 weeks to have the information packet/forms sent to me, I don't like waiting until the last minute.
My company has a very clear and written maternity policy, so there is nothing to negotiage or really discuss other than then telling you this is what is allowed. We are only allowed what FMLA gives us, up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, with 6 weeks of the 12 being covered under STD. If we want to do anything else (like I am taking 6 weeks STD and then working from home part-time for 2 weeks), we have to work that out directly with our boss. However, no one can authorize more paid time off. Some bosses (like mine) will let you work from home for a little while and others will let you take an extra week or 2 off unpaid.
There is something wrong with the bolded. That plus your boss wanting to go with you is definitely a red flag in my mind. I would go without your boss. If they aren't doing anything against policy or unethical there is no reason for them to be afraid of HR. I would find a time that you know your boss can't make it and just schedule the appointment with HR, then tell your boss you are meeting with them and sorry he/she can't make it but hopefully HR will be able to go over everything with your boss at another time on his/her own.
I work in HR and handle all the FMLA and LOA request. 90-60 days before your due date is good timing. I have some mothers talk to me as soon as they get the + sign and others that wait until the month they are due. I personally when have my Dr complete all my paperwork in June.
** ask every question you can think of, that way you are well prepared.