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Maternity Leave?

2Swanns2Swanns member
in Working Moms
I'm starting a new job soon and after looking at the handbook and benefits, I don't see any info on maternity leave. I understand that not all places offer it and that many places make you use all of your sick and vacation time and then you can have up to 8 weeks off, unpaid. I know I need to ask, but I don't want them to think I'm going to get pregnant immediately after starting. How should I phrase this question? At this point, I've accepted the position and I start next week so it doesn't make it or break it at this point. Do I just start and feel it out? Are any of you aware of the laws re: maternity leave in MA?


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Re: Maternity Leave?

  • ss+elss+el member
    Is there any mention of short term disability or paid disability leave? My work handbook doesn't mention maternity leave specifically. Officially, I was on paid short term disability leave when my son was born.
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  • cecilyandgautamcecilyandgautam member
    Well we don't have a maternity leave policy in the US so when you're getting your benefits overview during orientation (you can ask HR for one if they don't proactively offer it), then you can ask what are appropriate uses of sick leave, any STD group policy that you can sign up for, etc. I've heard that MA has 16 weeks of FMLA instead of the federal 12 - so you can look that up outside of your HR department and then just confirm your company is subject to the law. When you have a chance for a one-on-one discussion, I would ask how maternity leave is normally handled at the company. 

    Where I work, you can do a variety of things: sick leave can legitimately be used for the first 6-8 weeks after the birth of a child for your recovery needs + any additional time you need to spend taking baby to Dr's appts; vacation time can be used whenever you like so long as your supervisor approves; family medical leave act entitles you to 12 weeks of job protection if your company has more than 50 people. So some people layer the FMLA job protection on top of all the sick and vacation time they have which means your supervisor can not disapprove the request, others take whatever leave they have accumulated and are eligible to take even without FMLA and then tag on another few months of FMLA leave without pay in order to extend the length of their ML. And then occasionally I meet some one who took 8-12 weeks of cumulative sick & vacation then used the 480 hrs of FMLA protected leave without pay for the remainder of the year to have essentially a part time schedule for the first year of their baby's life. It's a creative process. 
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  • *sparky**sparky* member

    As a PP wrote, many companies do not have a "maternity leave" policy, but they do offer STD, which covers the medical portion of any maternity leave.  The standard is 6 weeks for a vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for a c-section.  The % of your salary that STD will cover varies by policy. 

    I would look at the benefits detail they give you once you start, which should have more info than the preliminary info they give out during the hiring process.  If nothing jumps out at you, you can ask HR about STD benefits.

     

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  • mae0111mae0111 member
    cecilyandgautam said:
    Well we don't have a maternity leave policy in the US so when you're getting your benefits overview during orientation (you can ask HR for one if they don't proactively offer it), then you can ask what are appropriate uses of sick leave, any STD group policy that you can sign up for, etc. I've heard that MA has 16 weeks of FMLA instead of the federal 12 - so you can look that up outside of your HR department and then just confirm your company is subject to the law. When you have a chance for a one-on-one discussion, I would ask how maternity leave is normally handled at the company. 
    No - MA sticks with the federal 12 weeks. 
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  • ksonneksonne member
    Connecticut has 16 weeks FMLA that can be used every 24 months.
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  • ASmallWonderASmallWonder member
    somerandomchick said:
    If you've already decided you're taking the job, I would wait and look around the internal website (my company's internal Benefits site said MUCH more than my offer packet) and then ask HR if you still have questions
    I agree with this.  There are likely a lot of pieces of information that are shared in more depth once you're in house.  
    Formerly known as elmoali :)

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  • jennyelfjennyelf member
    mae0111 said:
    cecilyandgautam said:
    Well we don't have a maternity leave policy in the US so when you're getting your benefits overview during orientation (you can ask HR for one if they don't proactively offer it), then you can ask what are appropriate uses of sick leave, any STD group policy that you can sign up for, etc. I've heard that MA has 16 weeks of FMLA instead of the federal 12 - so you can look that up outside of your HR department and then just confirm your company is subject to the law. When you have a chance for a one-on-one discussion, I would ask how maternity leave is normally handled at the company. 
    No - MA sticks with the federal 12 weeks. 
    MA has 16 weeks of protected leave if you have twins, else it's just 8. This is useful if your company does not need to follow FMLA due to size of company or other qualifiers.
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  • cecilyandgautamcecilyandgautam member
    jennyelf said:
    mae0111 said:
    cecilyandgautam said:
    Well we don't have a maternity leave policy in the US so when you're getting your benefits overview during orientation (you can ask HR for one if they don't proactively offer it), then you can ask what are appropriate uses of sick leave, any STD group policy that you can sign up for, etc. I've heard that MA has 16 weeks of FMLA instead of the federal 12 - so you can look that up outside of your HR department and then just confirm your company is subject to the law. When you have a chance for a one-on-one discussion, I would ask how maternity leave is normally handled at the company. 
    No - MA sticks with the federal 12 weeks. 
    MA has 16 weeks of protected leave if you have twins, else it's just 8. This is useful if your company does not need to follow FMLA due to size of company or other qualifiers.
    Thanks for clarifying! 
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  • FemShepFemShep member
    Also keep in mind that FMLA is job protection only, and does not cover any sort of pay.  FMLA also only applies to companies of a certain size, to employees who've met minimum hours worked/months worked requirements, only entitles you to an "equivalent"  job (not the same job), and does not apply if you're considered a critical/executive employee.  Additionally, FMLA runs concurrently to any sick time/disability leave you take, so you can't take 8 weeks of STD and then an additional 12 weeks of FMLA leave and still be eligible for job protection.

    That doesn't mean that your employer won't work with you on leave options, just that you may not be eligible for job protection.  Once you've started, check your employee handbook, look for STD information, and knock their socks off.  :)  Good luck!
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  • amandalsmileyamandalsmiley member
    Certain if not all US states have a certain period of Short term disability leave in which your job is protected at the very least if you need time off related to family matters or medical conditions. Also, you shouldn't have to be afraid to ask because technically your employer cannot penalize you for being pregnant or PLANNING on becoming pregnant whether or not you actually intend to anytime soon. :) good luck!!!
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