Maternity leave

Christina_Diane · June 2014

I know that we are (or at least the end of the monthers and I) are still super early into our pregnancies, but have you given thought into your maternity leave? Does your company provide paid maternity leave? How long are you given? How long do you plan to take? What are your maternity leave plans?

Christina_Diane · June 2014

As a teacher, my district gives the standard 6 weeks for a vaginal birth or 8 weeks for a c-section of unpaid maternity leave. However, I pay out of pocket for a disability plan that also covers pregnancy. I can be declared disabled as early as 4 weeks before the due date for a normal, non complicated pregnancy. The first semester ends December 18, and even though I'm not due until the end of January, that will be my last day since we don't resume until Jan. 12. I plan to return to work anywhere between April 6-20 depending on finances, since those last few weeks will be completely unpaid. I'll just have 6-9 weeks of school to get through until the summer.
We could probably swing me not working second semester at all, but we'd have to pull from an investment account.

KerBear8 · June 2014

My company does not do a paid maternity leave but I am covered to take time under FMLA. I also enrolled in STD (thats um, short term disability) prior to conception so I should be covered there too. I intend on taking 6 full weeks off and then perhaps 2-3 weeks part time to transition back. At least that's the plan for now...

tripletoe · June 2014

I will be taking a year off, we get paid maternity leave through the government (I'm Canadian). It isn't my full wage, I think its about 60%, but it maxes out. I will probably stop work at the latest December 1st, I'm due January 1st. I stopped a month before I was due with DD and I definitely needed to stop then. I'm a dental hygienist and my bump was in the way, i had terrible ergonomics and my back was so sore. I am hoping I will be put on medical disability in November since my pregnancy really affects my ability to do my job without pain. I will go back to work the following year after Christmas holidays, so I will be off 13-14 months. I honestly have so much respect for you ladies that have to take a short leave! I don't know how you do it!
Edit...spelling

ktkoala · June 2014

I am very, very lucky, but I get 18 weeks paid and can take an additional 6 weeks unpaid if I want. I'll probably take somewhere between 5-6 months.

aliciahaugen · June 2014

I work for an Accounting Firm and am due right during tax season - yikes! They technically don't allow any vacations during that time - but I am covered under FMLA so 12 weeks unpaid it is. I do have 2 weeks paid vacation to use, but still not sure if they'll approve it during tax season.

I am waiting to tell the bosses for quite some time, I'm extremely nervous about the whole thing. I don't think it will go over well!

Christina_Diane · June 2014

aliciahaugen said:

I work for an Accounting Firm and am due right during tax season - yikes! They technically don't allow any vacations during that time - but I am covered under FMLA so 12 weeks unpaid it is. I do have 2 weeks paid vacation to use, but still not sure if they'll approve it during tax season.

I am waiting to tell the bosses for quite some time, I'm extremely nervous about the whole thing. I don't think it will go over well!

Can they hire a person temporarily to fill your shoes since you will be out during the hectic time?

atrinh11 · June 2014

I happen to know how all of this works at my employer from having my son. I will have 6 weeks of short term disability pay (60% of salary) and then I will take the additional 6 weeks provided to me from FMLA with no pay. I take every day I am allowed. We saved in advance of conceiving both times to prepare.

misslizzy82 · June 2014

tripletoe said:

I will be taking a year off, we get paid maternity leave through the government (I'm Canadian). It isn't my full wage, I think its about 60%, but it maxes out. I will probably stop work at the latest December 1st, I'm due January 1st. I stopped a month before I was due with DD and I definitely needed to stop then. I'm a dental hygienist and my bump was in the way, i had terrible ergonomics and my back was so sore. I am hoping I will be put on medical disability in November since my pregnancy really affects my ability to do my job without pain. I will go back to work the following year after Christmas holidays, so I will be off 13-14 months. I honestly have so much respect for you ladies that have to take a short leave! I don't know how you do it! Edit...spelling

Anyone else thinking they need to move to Canada now?

Cbeanz · June 2014

I get 3 months paid, up to 9 addt'l months unpaid. I will probably take 4 months (one unpaid). I took 5 months with DD and was getting stir crazy at the end.

dukemeli · June 2014

I took 16 weeks paid at 100% the last time. I will take the same this time.

12chachacha · June 2014

Canadian here - I will also take a year.

AlfiesMOM · June 2014

We get 6 weeks at 60% (I think) for short term. You have to use two weeks of PTO before short term kicks in, so that's 8 weeks right there. I took 10 with E so I will probably use two more weeks of PTO, or maybe work from home a few days a week. I am not 100% sure yet.

siajara · June 2014

I get three months paid leave, and then I will use my accrued pto to only work 4 day weeks for a month when I go back. (Work in US for a Canadian company, yay!). Dh is a sahd but he might pick up some pt work while I am out since our dd will be in preschool full time at that point.

peggels24 · June 2014

I own my own business and will need to be back in action at least somewhat pretty quickly. This year was the first year since my honeymoon in 2004 that I was able to take a vacation without having to check in (and that was only a week). My plan is to take 2 weeks uninterrupted and then I'll start to work from home as needed. I should be back in the office at least part time by 4-6 weeks.

Now DH on the other hand will be deemed primary caregiver and he will be able to take up to 13 weeks paid leave - the first 4 weeks he gets paid paternity leave and then after that it's through FMLA but his employer allows him to use his vacation and sick time and he has plenty accrued so he will get paid.

WillCMyInk · June 2014

I won't be eligible for FMLA so all of this is assuming my employer will work with me:

I will be taking at least 6 weeks off. I will be getting a little less than 60% of my salary for 5 of those 6 weeks through short term disability and should have enough PTO to get me full pay through the first week off. I hope that, with the STD and the week of PTO, I'll be able to stay out at least 8 weeks before going back to work. A lot will just depend on how much we're able to save over the next 7 months or so.

Fortunately DH is getting a reenlistment bonus with the military here soon which will be put in the bank as a safety net for the "what if" of being fired when I go to take my leave.

Pips09 · June 2014

12 weeks of FMLA, paid by my PTO. I did sign up for STD, so that would cover partial payment for the first few weeks. I'm expecting to be out of a job by then, so I'm guessing this will be a non-issue.

mc0113 · June 2014

I get 8 weeks paid through work and since I'll be right at the new year, I'll have my 3 weeks paid vacation to take as well. I will most likely take extra unpaid time off after that - but who knows. I don't want to make a decision now and change down the road.

LadyXaverian · June 2014

I'm also a teacher. I will use up all my sick days and then have a couple of extra additional weeks unpaid. I'll likely have a c-section, so I'll be out close to 8 weeks. DH does a lot of freelance work in the fall, so we're going to set some of that money aside into savings to cover the weeks that I am home and unpaid.

ETA: It never occurred to me to sign up for short term disability while we were TTC. I wish I had thought of that.

LadyXaverian · June 2014

misslizzy82 said:

tripletoe said:

I will be taking a year off, we get paid maternity leave through the government (I'm Canadian). It isn't my full wage, I think its about 60%, but it maxes out. I will probably stop work at the latest December 1st, I'm due January 1st. I stopped a month before I was due with DD and I definitely needed to stop then. I'm a dental hygienist and my bump was in the way, i had terrible ergonomics and my back was so sore. I am hoping I will be put on medical disability in November since my pregnancy really affects my ability to do my job without pain. I will go back to work the following year after Christmas holidays, so I will be off 13-14 months. I honestly have so much respect for you ladies that have to take a short leave! I don't know how you do it! Edit...spelling

Anyone else thinking they need to move to Canada now?

I am from Canada, but I have lived in the US for 10 years. I miss home like crazy, but I've never wanted to move home more than I did when I gave birth to my daughter in 2011 and my sister had my niece a month later. I was back to work and she still had another 8 or 10 months off. ::Jealous::

Jellybean707 · June 2014

I work part time so I am not covered under FMLA. I have spoken with my boss and I plan to take 10 weeks of unpaid and unprotected. We are saving to make up the budget shortfall since DS will still be in daycare 3 days a week through my leave.

armedmommy · June 2014

I work for the state and am allowed to take fmla also. But if I want it paid I use my time I have accrued. If I go unpaid I have to pay my benefits out if pockets which would be $1400 a month!!!!! So hopefully I can drive an save 6 weeks of leave.

storm08 · June 2014

I will take 6 weeks (60% pay through STD), and then probably start back part time, but work from home for at least another 6 weeks if not more.

With DS I took 6 weeks, went back 1/2 time (worked from home) for another 6 weeks before going back full time. I am planning on going from full-time to part-time permanently after this maternity leave though.

AreWeHavingFunYet · June 2014

I am in NJ, so we get 18 - 20 weeks leave, depending on type of delivery. The first 6 -8 weeks falls under federal FMLA and then you get 12 weeks NJFLA. The NJ leave needs to be taken concurrently, but you have up to a year to take it, so I think that since it's a pretty busy time of year, I might take the extra 12 in the summer when our deadlines are over. They gave a co-worker a hard time about it though, so I don't imagine I will get it without a fight. Last time I took my whole leave at once, so I was off from the end of March until August.

orangehills · June 2014

I just talked to my HR. I get to start 2 weeks before my due date, so probably the week of Christmas I'll go out since my due date is New Years, as far as I know. And then I'll take 12 weeks after the baby is born - so whenever the kid comes along, 12 weeks after that! My job is safe and I'll get my benefits. I don't know what will be paid, or anything like that yet. I have savings though to cover whatever I'm not making during that time!

LooneyLife · June 2014

My district has no paid maternity leave. So FMLA it is for me (of course using any paid sick leave I have first).

I hope to work up until Christmas Eve when break starts. Is then start FMLA the Monday after New Years, baby or no baby. I'll take the 12 weeks from there, come back for a week, and then be off for Spring Break.

All in all, I'd be home for 14 weeks, some paid, some not.

rmpar29 · June 2014

I will have to take one week PTO and then 5 weeks paid for vaginal, 7 weeks for C under short-term disability. If I get taken out a head of time disability covers that too. I wish I could take more time off, but DH and I can't afford to not have my income.

alibc123 · June 2014

I plan on being out atleast the 12 weeks I can get from FMLA. That's as far as I've planned.

EllenMA · June 2014

I get 16 weeks. The first 6 are at 60% pay then I will use my 4 weeks vacation. The rest will be unpaid. I am planning to take it all.

mmooki · June 2014

Also a teacher. I'll get 6-8 weeks depending how I deliver (had a c.s last time but my dr already said I am a great candidate for a vbac. Not sure how I feel about that...) I'll probably take 12 weeks total, the last 4-6 weeks unpaid.

lilydolce · June 2014

This is why I love Canada even more. We get one year 60% and if needed three months before that if doctor lets say puts you on bed rest (someone told me that). If you work for Canadian govt you get 90% of your salary with one year off. God bless this country

Stargirlb · June 2014

Another Canadian here. So lucky we have a year maternity/paternity, but it should be 2 like it is in some other places.

Americans needs to realize that investing in human capital is essential to wellbeing of society!! Come on US government get with the program!

Gracious1014 · June 2014

atrinh11 said:

I happen to know how all of this works at my employer from having my son. I will have 6 weeks of short term disability pay (60% of salary) and then I will take the additional 6 weeks provided to me from FMLA with no pay. I take every day I am allowed. We saved in advance of conceiving both times to prepare.

This exactly. Although I can use some of my accrued paid time off during the FMLA time with no pay.

NatureLovers · June 2014

I hate the U.S. We suck so badly in this area.

steelerfanva · June 2014

I live in Virginia so STD is not available. Plan on saving as much leave as I can and then it is back to work. I am the primary earner so FMLA is not an option.

astridz077 · June 2014

I work 8 part time jobs to get the full time hours but sadly that means no maternity leave. I am trying to save enough to take 8-10 weeks off.

newguardwife · June 2014

I will likely get 6 weeks disability and take at least 2 more unpaid. I am eligible for FMLA but my income is our main stable source of income so the only way I will take more is if the husband leaves for deployment while I am on leave. With his income I would be able to take all 12 weeks.

karla1301 · June 2014

I work for the federal government. We have to accrue leave so planning for I had to plan ahead maternity leave way in advance (limit vacations, sick days, etc). I'm planning on taking 12 weeks offf

karbarr · June 2014

Teacher here as well. We get 6- 8 csec weeks paid (taken from our sick days) and then we can take up to a year off (or maybe 2) unpaid. I'll be having a csec so I'll get 8 weeks and then plan on taking off until the second week of April.

jovencita1224 · June 2014

@karla1301‌-with my first two kids, I worked for the federal government. I was put on bedrest with #2 at 30 weeks. They allowed me to use my PTO and then the medical leave bank kicked in and covered 100% of my pay for my bedrest and 6 weeks post delivery. My daughter also had some medical issues, so I ended up being out until she was 12 weeks old. The drawback was when I got back I had no leave for doctor visits and sick kids. But definitely look into if there is a medical leave bank at your agency. It saved me.

My current employer offers 8 weeks paid leave at 100%. You technically have 12 weeks FMLA , so you could do 4 more weeks of leave, but they are flexible about work from home options before and after birth and they also provide up to 26 weeks of short term disability at 60% pay in the event of medical issues like bed rest. I am hoping to parlay my maternity leave into a semi-permanent work from home schedule. I currently work from home 1-2 days a week, and would love to up it to 3-4.