Maternity leave?

EricaKlag · November 2013

How are you planning to pay for your time off after delivery? I work and have crunched the numbers and cannot afford to take the three recommended months off to care for my new infant. Short disability only pays for 4 weeks and I'll have to work every day until I deliver in order to have 60% of my regular income for 12 weeks. This is more than I had with my first child but I'm still frustrated and disheartened yet again. Obviously we have some savings but Is there some other way to mange that I'm not aware of? I'm thinking of asking the doctor or midwife if they'll lie for me and say I am "disabled" to get an extension of my short term disability benefits... Such a disgrace here in the u.s.!

SMM1986 · November 2013

I'm probably only taking 6 weeks. I don't Get full pay for it (except 7 days where I'm required to use my personal time) and anything after 6 weeks (8 with c section) is unpaid.
If you truly want to stay home longer, maybe re-evaluate your current budget, do overtime and start piling money away for when you'll be out.

FutureMrsMJ12 · November 2013

I'm not sure what my options are yet, I'm meeting with HR next week. I'm pretty sure I am in a somewhat similar situation as well, and cannot afford to take time with no pay. Once I meet with them, if I come up with any other options, I'll be sure to let you know!

sparklingdiamond · November 2013

I will maybe have a week of it paid (using all my PTO) and then am stuck with the rest being unpaid. It freaks me out because I am trying to figure out how we can afford it. I am sure it will work out somehow!

2brents · November 2013

I wanted a May baby for the reason that it am a teacher. I get 6 weeks paid at 80% and than I would have to go back. Luckily I will only need to take 4 weeks so 3 at 80% untill I am off for the summer and can spend my summer off with full pay. The other reason may is awesome for us is because it will alow our son to continue in his preschool untill they end 3 weeks after the baby comes. So the baby and I will have some time to adjust while allowing him to keep a somewhat normal schedule. Good luck figuring it out.

LLolaBean · November 2013

Mine is entirely unpaid. We've just been cutting back and trying to save as much as we can.

pandadair · November 2013

I haven't actually talked to HR, yet, so hopefully my plan actually pans out. But I should have about 4.5 weeks of paid sick time and 3.5 weeks of vacation (will probably just use 1.5 weeks vacation, though, to cover the first 6 weeks), then 6 weeks at 60% through short-term disability.

ETA: OP, your office covers 12 weeks at 60%? Or am I reading that wrong? I'm guessing you don't have any paid sick or vacation time you can add in there that would provide full pay?

danabsd · November 2013

What state do you live in? In CA we get 6 weeks of disability (vaginal & federal) and 6 weeks family bonding time which can be taken anytime in the first year.
I believe it is 60% of your income. My last company subsidized the remaining portion, this company will not so MH will make arrangements for that in our budget.

rona118 · November 2013

WEll since I work at a non-profit with less than 50 people, the do not have to follow the guidelines of FMLA. I do get STD for 6 weeks at 60% and I bought a plan (before my company started to offer a few months ago) that can then cover that rest to make full 100%. I can use sick and vacation time, but my thoughts are do I want to burn that all when I might need that sick time when I come back with a newborn. I am waiting on HR to clarify about medical because I cover for the whole family. It is unclear in our handbook if it means I have to pay what I normally pay for healthcare and the company's preminum? And just what are we looking at?? Fun Fun.

sweetky_06 · November 2013

I get 9 weeks at 100% pay (6 weeks of STD at 100% plus 3 weeks of vacation pay that my company provides). I plan on taking an additional 7-10 weeks unpaid.

I figured out if I can save $130 each pay period until the baby is born, between my pay and what I've saved, I can make the mortgage payments the entire time I'm on leave. That gives us plenty of wiggle room to cover other necessities and some wants with DH's paycheck. It's pretty much what I did last time as well.

Work your budget and see what you can cut now so you can take time later.

vcusano · November 2013

I'm planning to take the max that I'm allowed, 5 months. The first 3 weeks will be my vacation and sick time at full pay, then 8 weeks of disability (repeat c-section) at 70% pay, followed by 9 weeks at zero pay. I will be saving my year end annual bonus to make up for the salary I won't be receiving.

MrsT2008 · November 2013

I get 6 weeks paid 100% (8 for a c-section) and am allowed up to 12 total under FMLA (the balance of which is not paid after the 6 weeks of short-term disability is up). I have to use accrued PTO before I can take un-paid leave, so I think I'll have an additional week paid after the initial 6 weeks. The remainder of my leave (I may take 16 weeks, not sure yet) will be unpaid.

Themetastic · November 2013

With DS, there was no maternity leave policy and I was never told about STD when I was hired, so it was too late for me to sign up. I took 15 weeks off, with no pay. Our expenses were not as much because I wasn't driving 300 miles a week to work, eating out, getting my nails done, etc. But we still dipped into our savings every month. I wouldn't have changed a thing though.

This time, I will get 8 weeks of full pay between our maternity leave policy + STD + vacation time. I do not plan on using all of my vacation time ( I get 3 weeks) because 4 months with no PTO is a long time when you have a toddler and a newborn, so I am hoping to save 1 week of it. I don't know how that works though. I still haven't told work.

In all honesty, I am hoping to not come back.

flowerx2 · November 2013

I can take off 12 weeks. 6 of those weeks is paid 100%. The other 6 weeks is not paid. I signed up for AFLAC so my short term disability and hospitalization plan will cover those unpaid weeks at 60% of my pay. I am a teacher so if I choose I can use the rest of my maternity leave at the start of the school year the next year. Not sure how I feel about that though.

jjh471 · November 2013

I'm in a totally different boat because I am a Kindergarten teacher. We do not have short-term disability because we do not pay into Social Security since we have pensions and are in a union. So, I have a separate policy outside of work that I pay for out of pocket. Our contract we can basically take off 3 months OR if our maternity works out we can take off the time until the end of the school year. The way work will pay for us, is we have to use our sick days which sticks because I have only been teaching in his district for two years so I only have enough saved for a month paid BUT my separate policy for short-term disability will pay for the rest.

With that being said, the way I have to take mine is all of May and June (until the end of the school year basically) because they will need to get a sub for my room. Then, my pay will return to the regular pay after the end of the school year (June 20 something....) because our pay is stretched through the summer. Does ANY of that make sense? It is super confusing trying to budget from two different sources of maternity leave pay and figuring out the timing of everything. I'm actually glad that I will have to just go out at the beginning of May, it will give me about 2 weeks before my due date to relax and get everything ready. I actually have to meet with a union rep this week to go over everything.

But all in all it will be wonderful and I am very blessed and lucky that I will have May-mid August to stay at home with LO. I could not ask for a better situation, I know people that have to go back after only a month or so of being home because they simply cannot afford to be out any longer. Our country is wonderful in so many ways but our maternity leave definitely needs to be looked at considering some countries (Germany I believe?) offer a full year off to mothers.

kristine526 · November 2013

If it makes you feel better, my boss told me he is not required to give me ANY leave. We have less than 50 employees, so FMLA doesn't apply. If I was going back, I'd take my 3 weeks of PTO to pay for some of it, and use savings for the other 3 weeks, then go back (and be thoroughly miserable) after 6 weeks.

jjh471 · November 2013

kristine526 said:

If it makes you feel better, my boss told me he is not required to give me ANY leave. We have less than 50 employees, so FMLA doesn't apply. If I was going back, I'd take my 3 weeks of PTO to pay for some of it, and use savings for the other 3 weeks, then go back (and be thoroughly miserable) after 6 weeks.

I had a job like this when I taught preschool a few years back. Same thing, we didn't have many employees and very little benefits were offered.

It's crazy how they can do that. I get WHY but still. Good luck to you!

kristine526 · November 2013

jjh471 said:

kristine526 said:

If it makes you feel better, my boss told me he is not required to give me ANY leave. We have less than 50 employees, so FMLA doesn't apply. If I was going back, I'd take my 3 weeks of PTO to pay for some of it, and use savings for the other 3 weeks, then go back (and be thoroughly miserable) after 6 weeks.

I had a job like this when I taught preschool a few years back. Same thing, we didn't have many employees and very little benefits were offered. It's crazy how they can do that. I get WHY but still. Good luck to you!

I work with all men, and old women, so maternity leave isn't something that has been needed for a very long time. Instead of figuring out an "official" answer to be put in the emloyee handbook, lets screw the one person who needs it. It's BS, and is one of many reasons I won't be returning. Thank you for the "good luck" though. I appreciate it. We can make things work on DH's salary, we just need to find a way for me to supplement that income to make things not quite so tight. It'll all work out.

jjh471 · November 2013

kristine526 said:

jjh471 said:

kristine526 said:

If it makes you feel better, my boss told me he is not required to give me ANY leave. We have less than 50 employees, so FMLA doesn't apply. If I was going back, I'd take my 3 weeks of PTO to pay for some of it, and use savings for the other 3 weeks, then go back (and be thoroughly miserable) after 6 weeks.

I had a job like this when I taught preschool a few years back. Same thing, we didn't have many employees and very little benefits were offered. It's crazy how they can do that. I get WHY but still. Good luck to you!

I work with all men, and old women, so maternity leave isn't something that has been needed for a very long time. Instead of figuring out an "official" answer to be put in the emloyee handbook, lets screw the one person who needs it. It's BS, and is one of many reasons I won't be returning. Thank you for the "good luck" though. I appreciate it. We can make things work on DH's salary, we just need to find a way for me to supplement that income to make things not quite so tight. It'll all work out.

I'm sure it will and I know it won't be easy going back after only 6 weeks but I'm sure you will pull through. We are working moms for our children. We "gotta do what we gotta do."

krlovell · November 2013

Not to add stress to this whole situation but make sure all of you check your short term disability plans and verify if they have an elimination period or if it's a retroactive policy. Elimination means you are out x number of days before it starts paying and doesn't go back and pay those x days. Retroactive means you ate out x number of days before it starts paying but will go back and pay from day one.

I didn't realize with DS that my policy with work was a 14 day elimination policy with a max for maternity leave at 6 weeks unless you had other complications. So when I took my leave I was under the impression id be paid for 8 weeks as I had a c section and was then capped at 6 but they only pay 4 as the first 2 weeks were during the elimination period. Trust me call the provider as they will tell you these things as my hr played dumb like they had no idea. It's terrible when you have a new born and when you think you'll have an additional months income and you don't but you're not released to go back to work yet. Just an FYI!!!

pandadair · November 2013

jjh471 said:

I'm in a totally different boat because I am a Kindergarten teacher. We do not have short-term disability because we do not pay into Social Security since we have pensions and are in a union. So, I have a separate policy outside of work that I pay for out of pocket. Our contract we can basically take off 3 months OR if our maternity works out we can take off the time until the end of the school year. The way work will pay for us, is we have to use our sick days which sticks because I have only been teaching in his district for two years so I only have enough saved for a month paid BUT my separate policy for short-term disability will pay for the rest.

With that being said, the way I have to take mine is all of May and June (until the end of the school year basically) because they will need to get a sub for my room. Then, my pay will return to the regular pay after the end of the school year (June 20 something....) because our pay is stretched through the summer. Does ANY of that make sense? It is super confusing trying to budget from two different sources of maternity leave pay and figuring out the timing of everything. I'm actually glad that I will have to just go out at the beginning of May, it will give me about 2 weeks before my due date to relax and get everything ready. I actually have to meet with a union rep this week to go over everything.

But all in all it will be wonderful and I am very blessed and lucky that I will have May-mid August to stay at home with LO. I could not ask for a better situation, I know people that have to go back after only a month or so of being home because they simply cannot afford to be out any longer. Our country is wonderful in so many ways but our maternity leave definitely needs to be looked at considering some countries (Germany I believe?) offer a full year off to mothers.

Pretty sure no one is talking about SSDI. You can't even draw SSDI if you're employed, so... The short-term disability we are referring to is either provided by an employer as a benefit, or enrolled in individually like Aflac.

jjh471 · November 2013

pandadair said:

jjh471 said:

I'm in a totally different boat because I am a Kindergarten teacher. We do not have short-term disability because we do not pay into Social Security since we have pensions and are in a union. So, I have a separate policy outside of work that I pay for out of pocket. Our contract we can basically take off 3 months OR if our maternity works out we can take off the time until the end of the school year. The way work will pay for us, is we have to use our sick days which sticks because I have only been teaching in his district for two years so I only have enough saved for a month paid BUT my separate policy for short-term disability will pay for the rest.

With that being said, the way I have to take mine is all of May and June (until the end of the school year basically) because they will need to get a sub for my room. Then, my pay will return to the regular pay after the end of the school year (June 20 something....) because our pay is stretched through the summer. Does ANY of that make sense? It is super confusing trying to budget from two different sources of maternity leave pay and figuring out the timing of everything. I'm actually glad that I will have to just go out at the beginning of May, it will give me about 2 weeks before my due date to relax and get everything ready. I actually have to meet with a union rep this week to go over everything.

But all in all it will be wonderful and I am very blessed and lucky that I will have May-mid August to stay at home with LO. I could not ask for a better situation, I know people that have to go back after only a month or so of being home because they simply cannot afford to be out any longer. Our country is wonderful in so many ways but our maternity leave definitely needs to be looked at considering some countries (Germany I believe?) offer a full year off to mothers.

Pretty sure no one is talking about SSDI. You can't even draw SSDI if you're employed, so... The short-term disability we are referring to is either provided by an employer as a benefit, or enrolled in individually like Aflac.

Sorry if this was unclear. What I was meaning was that my work does not provide short-term disability. I was just explaining it the way it was explained to me by my union. Many of us have policies we pay for on our own out of pocket. I apologize for the confusion!

pandadair · November 2013

jjh471 said:

pandadair said:

jjh471 said:

I'm in a totally different boat because I am a Kindergarten teacher. We do not have short-term disability because we do not pay into Social Security since we have pensions and are in a union. So, I have a separate policy outside of work that I pay for out of pocket. Our contract we can basically take off 3 months OR if our maternity works out we can take off the time until the end of the school year. The way work will pay for us, is we have to use our sick days which sticks because I have only been teaching in his district for two years so I only have enough saved for a month paid BUT my separate policy for short-term disability will pay for the rest.

With that being said, the way I have to take mine is all of May and June (until the end of the school year basically) because they will need to get a sub for my room. Then, my pay will return to the regular pay after the end of the school year (June 20 something....) because our pay is stretched through the summer. Does ANY of that make sense? It is super confusing trying to budget from two different sources of maternity leave pay and figuring out the timing of everything. I'm actually glad that I will have to just go out at the beginning of May, it will give me about 2 weeks before my due date to relax and get everything ready. I actually have to meet with a union rep this week to go over everything.

But all in all it will be wonderful and I am very blessed and lucky that I will have May-mid August to stay at home with LO. I could not ask for a better situation, I know people that have to go back after only a month or so of being home because they simply cannot afford to be out any longer. Our country is wonderful in so many ways but our maternity leave definitely needs to be looked at considering some countries (Germany I believe?) offer a full year off to mothers.

Pretty sure no one is talking about SSDI. You can't even draw SSDI if you're employed, so... The short-term disability we are referring to is either provided by an employer as a benefit, or enrolled in individually like Aflac.

Sorry if this was unclear. What I was meaning was that my work does not provide short-term disability. I was just explaining it the way it was explained to me by my union. Many of us have policies we pay for on our own out of pocket. I apologize for the confusion!

Gotcha

. Didn't want anyone wondering about SSDI, as well.

jjh471 · November 2013

pandadair said:

jjh471 said:

pandadair said:

jjh471 said:

I'm in a totally different boat because I am a Kindergarten teacher. We do not have short-term disability because we do not pay into Social Security since we have pensions and are in a union. So, I have a separate policy outside of work that I pay for out of pocket. Our contract we can basically take off 3 months OR if our maternity works out we can take off the time until the end of the school year. The way work will pay for us, is we have to use our sick days which sticks because I have only been teaching in his district for two years so I only have enough saved for a month paid BUT my separate policy for short-term disability will pay for the rest.

With that being said, the way I have to take mine is all of May and June (until the end of the school year basically) because they will need to get a sub for my room. Then, my pay will return to the regular pay after the end of the school year (June 20 something....) because our pay is stretched through the summer. Does ANY of that make sense? It is super confusing trying to budget from two different sources of maternity leave pay and figuring out the timing of everything. I'm actually glad that I will have to just go out at the beginning of May, it will give me about 2 weeks before my due date to relax and get everything ready. I actually have to meet with a union rep this week to go over everything.

But all in all it will be wonderful and I am very blessed and lucky that I will have May-mid August to stay at home with LO. I could not ask for a better situation, I know people that have to go back after only a month or so of being home because they simply cannot afford to be out any longer. Our country is wonderful in so many ways but our maternity leave definitely needs to be looked at considering some countries (Germany I believe?) offer a full year off to mothers.

Pretty sure no one is talking about SSDI. You can't even draw SSDI if you're employed, so... The short-term disability we are referring to is either provided by an employer as a benefit, or enrolled in individually like Aflac.

Sorry if this was unclear. What I was meaning was that my work does not provide short-term disability. I was just explaining it the way it was explained to me by my union. Many of us have policies we pay for on our own out of pocket. I apologize for the confusion!

Gotcha . Didn't want anyone wondering about SSDI, as well.

No problem! I think the whole maternity leave thing is confusing to begin with!

EricaKlag · November 2013

The paperwork said something about 15 days. Not sure if it's retroactive but I would imagine it would be. If not then are you saying I'll only collect for 2 weeks?! Looks like I'll have more research to do!

danabsd · November 2013

kristine526 said:

If it makes you feel better, my boss told me he is not required to give me ANY leave. We have less than 50 employees, so FMLA doesn't apply. If I was going back, I'd take my 3 weeks of PTO to pay for some of it, and use savings for the other 3 weeks, then go back (and be thoroughly miserable) after 6 weeks.

FMLA protects your job, it does not pay you. The state/federal government pays you.

GracieLou Freebush · November 2013

I was just looking into this (again) last week. I'm allowed 12 weeks under FMLA but 6 would be fully paid through STD (or 8 for a c/s). I get 4 weeks of vacation too.

I plan to do 6 weeks through STD and 2 weeks of vacation. I'll save the other two weeks of vacation for the holidays or when DD or #2 are sure to get sick during the winter.

While I'd love to take more time off, I did the same with DD and it went well.

EricaKlag · November 2013

I am also part of a union, maybe they can offer something?

naflmj · November 2013

Usually I get a lump sum over the summer but I chose to be paid more during the school year so really screwed myself (I typically work per diem in the summer). I plan to take 2 weeks sick, 6 weeks std and work a few days over the summer to supplement our income. If dh had done great commissions I will reevaluate.

redrosepinkdaisy · November 2013

I get six weeks paid and then I have to use any accrued time. I plan to exhaust all my paid time prior to resigning. I have about 4 weeks vacation/sick time, so I will be paid for about 10 weeks before leaving.

motoLyn · November 2013

danabsd said:

FMLA protects your job, it does not pay you. The state/federal government pays you.

I live in CA, I had talked to my HR and they informed me that I can by CA disability take the 4 weeks prior to delivery off but I won't be paid my full salary, just a percentage. If I deliver before the 4 weeks are up, I lose the remaining time and my 6 weeks of baby bonding time kick in. After those 6 weeks I was told I could apply for FMLA, and that I would get paid a percentage of my salary for 6 weeks, after that the next 6 weeks would be unpaid but my job would protected for me to come back to. My company doesn't pay for maternity. So H and I are saving up best we can to make up for the difference in income when I go on leave. This is my understanding from what my HR has said. Its always best to research on my own to get the full grasp of the situation.

vcusano · November 2013

danabsd said:

kristine526 said:

If it makes you feel better, my boss told me he is not required to give me ANY leave. We have less than 50 employees, so FMLA doesn't apply. If I was going back, I'd take my 3 weeks of PTO to pay for some of it, and use savings for the other 3 weeks, then go back (and be thoroughly miserable) after 6 weeks.

FMLA protects your job, it does not pay you. The state/federal government pays you.

She was saying that her job isn't protected under FMLA because there has to be a certain # of employees with a certain mile radius for them to be required to hold her job and they don't meet the criteria so the company does not have to hold her job for her when she goes out on leave

So not only will she not get paid but doesn't necessarily have a job to go back to

KatieP71312 · November 2013

I'll also add 99% of companies REQUIRE you exhaust your paid leave before you take unpaid leave so banking any for when you come back isn't an option. Get with HR and get answers ladies!

pandadair · November 2013

redrosepinkdaisy said:

I get six weeks paid and then I have to use any accrued time. I plan to exhaust all my paid time prior to resigning. I have about 4 weeks vacation/sick time, so I will be paid for about 10 weeks before leaving.

Is it six weeks paid for a real birth, but eight weeks for a medical extraction?

KatieP71312 · November 2013

And my other two cents is our short term disability benefit has a 30 day exclusion period and then has a max payment cap based on a percentage of your annual salary. I wish for all of you to have excellent HR/Leave coordinators to help you navigate all of this!

pandadair · November 2013

@KatieP71312 Does that 30 day exclusion include any PTO? I haven't actually sat down with HR, as you can probably tell, so right now I'm just pretending like everything will work out according to my desires.

KatieP71312 · November 2013

pandadair said:

@KatieP71312 Does that 30 day exclusion include any PTO? I haven't actually sat down with HR, as you can probably tell, so right now I'm just pretending like everything will work out according to my desires.

Yes - it does include PTO. Every policy is different though so read yours! So basically I have to exhaust paid leave, wait 30 days (includes the paid leave exhaustion), and then my SDI kicks in. I then only receive it for 2 weeks. I believe last time I capped out at receiving a TOTAL of $2,400 from my plan. For a $10/month expense I was fairly happy - of course i would have loved for it to be more!

Unknown · November 2013

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sweetky_06 · November 2013

Holidays won't count as holidays while you're on STD. So for example, if your first day out is May 13, you'll be paid straight through the 6 weeks and not get a "bonus day" for Memorial Day.

JAM85 · November 2013

I have no idea right now what we are doing because we just moved down here from the end of a seasonal job three weeks We were on unemployment while we looked. I just for a job that pays less per week than my unemployment but at least it's a job however I have no idea how they will handle maternity since they don't know I am pregger yet but I doubt I will get anything as it will only be 5.5 months working for them. I also won't have my job protected either just due to timing but it is at a co-op so I am hoping crunchy mentalities prevail. And my DH is trying To start his own business so he will be on unemployment for a bit but then have to move of and we have no idea how well he will do this year. My paycheck covers the rent and utilities and his unemployment for now covers everything else but he won't be on it longer than February so we will see what the future brings. Likely I will have to go back at 6 weeks and try to see what I can do from home before then as I will definitely not be getting anything. Money scares me more than anything right now and is very frustrating and anxiety ridden. I am
Nervous enough about lupus complications and having to leave work even earlier than I like due to it!

Unknown · November 2013

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