i hate my job! Venting...sorry in advance

Re: i hate my job! Venting...sorry in advance

• ADH0906 member

  August 2014

  I'm sorry...that must be stressful. My company doesn't pay any maternity leave beyond STD, and I'm sure a lot of ladies are in the same boat. I'm curious though...why are you just now looking into maternity leave policies?

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• shannonshare member

  August 2014

  That is deplorable that a HOSPITAL system doesn't have good maternity policies.

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• MuffinMom14 member

  August 2014

  Will your doctor even LET you go back to work after a week or two? I thought they won't even let you for 6-8 weeks. That said, I know people who went back to work that same week because they couldn't afford not to, they just did it against doctor wishes.
  
  Also, I get no paid leave either. I think that is common (SADLY). I get STD, same as you, for th 6-8, then anything after that is unpaid.
  

  

  
  
  

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• staryb member

  August 2014

  Sorry you are going through this. That's terrible that such a large company, especially a hospital, doesn't offer you much of anything. I don't get any paid leave at my job either and I've already used my PTO (only hand 40 hours after working over a year and a half). They say I can have 6 weeks but I honestly don't know if I'll be coming back. I need to work but I don't want to stay at a job where I get no benefits and where I really don't make enough to justify daycare. Like you, money is really tight and I do have to work but I'm using this baby as an excuse to find something better or possibly go back to school. I know things will work out somehow, we've been through a lot and have always been ok. I'm sure you'll find a way to make everything work out for you too. Good luck!

  
  

  
  

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• bennikki member

  August 2014

  Yeah that sucks, but it does seem very late in the game to be checking on something like this.  You say you have another child, were you not working for the same employer when you had that child?  How did you do it back then?  Maybe you need to look into selling something you have debt on (a vehicle?) if the situation is that dire.  

  
  

  While STD doesn't provide full pay, you should be able to keep the lights on and your family fed with the money (that's what it's designed for) along with what you have been able to bank in PTO hours.  

  
  

  Also, missing work due to a work related injury should be reported to your HR department and the time you took off should be covered by work comp insurance.  It might be a hassle, and it might take a while to see the money come through, but it's the law (I say this as a payroll accountant and a small business owner).

  
  

  Finally, I suggest you figure out what exactly you will receive from STD and PTO during your time off.  Create a budget that keeps you within that amount, and hopefully allows for a possible emergency expense (car breaks down/furnace failure), and begin living off of that budget.  This will create not only a preview of what to expect while on leave, but should also create a little bit of savings.  It's only two months away, but every little bit is going to help.  Begin clipping coupons, cook from scratch/learn to cook if you don't already, shop with a list and only get what's on the list, and use cash when shopping.  Statistically we spend more when we use a card (yes, even a debit card) than we do when we only carry cash.  If possible, return baby gifts for store credit.  If your friends and family are anything like mine, you'll have plenty of rompers, swaddlers, and PJ's, but not enough toilet paper, breast pump supplies, or other real necessities (they're just not as fun to buy).  I returned a ton of "cute stuff" for stuff I really needed once the baby came.  Bonus if they purchased the stuff from Target or Walmart because you can also get groceries with that credit.

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• munchiemama104 member

  August 2014

  ADH0906 said:

  I'm sorry...that must be stressful. My company doesn't pay any maternity leave beyond STD, and I'm sure a lot of ladies are in the same boat. I'm curious though...why are you just now looking into maternity leave policies?

  I figured I finally made it to the 3rd tri, so I should get everything in order. I knew they paid for marriage, so I thought it would be similar for maternity. 

  
  

  Last pregnancy (4 years ago)I worked in a non for profit that only accepted medicare and they paid a week, I thought that a huge hospital would be comparable. Since I work with the sterile trays in the OR, I won' t be able to lift anything, so it looks like i will have to do a few weeks  with no income. it totally sucks and i"m disgusted, especially after reading the CEO of the hospital made $3.95 million last year! 

  
  

  Thank you all for listening. I feel better that I was able to vent. 

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• munchiemama104 member

  August 2014

  bennikki said:

  Yeah that sucks, but it does seem very late in the game to be checking on something like this.  You say you have another child, were you not working for the same employer when you had that child?  How did you do it back then?  Maybe you need to look into selling something you have debt on (a vehicle?) if the situation is that dire.  

  
  

  While STD doesn't provide full pay, you should be able to keep the lights on and your family fed with the money (that's what it's designed for) along with what you have been able to bank in PTO hours.  

  
  

  Also, missing work due to a work related injury should be reported to your HR department and the time you took off should be covered by work comp insurance.  It might be a hassle, and it might take a while to see the money come through, but it's the law (I say this as a payroll accountant and a small business owner).

  
  

  Finally, I suggest you figure out what exactly you will receive from STD and PTO during your time off.  Create a budget that keeps you within that amount, and hopefully allows for a possible emergency expense (car breaks down/furnace failure), and begin living off of that budget.  This will create not only a preview of what to expect while on leave, but should also create a little bit of savings.  It's only two months away, but every little bit is going to help.  Begin clipping coupons, cook from scratch/learn to cook if you don't already, shop with a list and only get what's on the list, and use cash when shopping.  Statistically we spend more when we use a card (yes, even a debit card) than we do when we only carry cash.  If possible, return baby gifts for store credit.  If your friends and family are anything like mine, you'll have plenty of rompers, swaddlers, and PJ's, but not enough toilet paper, breast pump supplies, or other real necessities (they're just not as fun to buy).  I returned a ton of "cute stuff" for stuff I really needed once the baby came.  Bonus if they purchased the stuff from Target or Walmart because you can also get groceries with that credit.

  you make a lot of great points. thank you for the advice. 

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• Lapooh member

  August 2014

  I have nothing helpful to add, except commiserate with you that hospital CEOs get ridiculous pay checks and that healthcare employees often have crappy benefits, especially in regards to leave. Hang in there, you'll make it work one way or the other

  

  
  

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• aboodtobe member

  August 2014

  I know nothing about NY state law, but in CA there is state disability. Also, you should be able to get FMLA. In addition, you may need your OB to write a doctor's note saying that you are able to return to work. 

  
  

  It sounds like you're a valuable employee. Are you unionized? Do you have an HR department? Perhaps you can use it as a negotiation tool for you to stay on after your maternity leave. They want you back right? Also, do they provide benefits for people who leave on other disabilities (i.e. people who are out due to cancer treatment or other illness?). If so, in CA they have to provide the same benefits to someone who is out on disability due to pregnancy. 

  
  

  So sorry to hear about your hardship. Honestly, companies are supposed to disclose disability leave benefits (or lack there of) when they hire you. There should be something written in your employee handbook. 

  

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• pnwlover12 member

  August 2014

  munchiemama104 said:

  So usually I just lurk, but i really needed to vent, and most people wouldn't understand. I work in a huge hospital system (the system owns mostly everything in downstate  NY), so today I went to find out about maternity leave and when I would have to put in for it, it turns out that we do not get ANY paid maternity leave. Nothing, nada, not one single day. You get three days paid after your get married, but nothing for having a child!?!  I would have to use my PTO for any leave, and the rest would be unpaid. I was expecting having to use PTO but on Monday I was hurt on the job and out for three days and had to use PTO, which doesn't seem fair either since I didn't WANT to be off, I had no choice. I also work Mon- Fri and am the only one who does my job, so any days I need off during the week, I will need to use my time. i know it's crazy hormonal stuff going on, but i'm so afraid by the time I have this baby (end of Oct) I will probably only accrue two weeks PTO (currently i have 57 hours) but after the 10 hours I had to use the week that puts me at 47 and I'm sure that I will have to use more time as it gets closer to d day.  Short term disability is nothing, and i won't be able to afford to live. ( i have a mortgage, another child, debt and all other bills that have to be paid) sorry for the long (rambling) vent, i'm freaking out and terrified I will only be home for three weeks before i have to go back to work. My husband and I are trying to save as much as we can, but we barely make ends meet as it is. 

  Up until February of this year, I worked for a huge hospital system in WA state and they have the same policy. Any paid time I wanted to get would come out of my own PTO bank. I of course, could have taken up to 90 days non-paid and then applied for a STD if I so chose, but it would all be w/o pay.
  
  I'm really not trying to be harsh here, but I'm surprised you had no idea of your work's policy until 2 months away. The day I told my supervisor I was pregnant with baby #1, she gave me all the info on maternity leave and who to contact regarding the leave (they use an absence management company to handle FMLA type situations).
  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
                
  
  
  

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• emmojess member

  August 2014

  I'm in the same boat. Working for a huge non profit but no maternity leave pay. FMLA is merely a 'we can't fire you' policy so you'll have your job back. It's a pretty sore spot for me. I also have a friend who can't resist bringing up how her company paid for EVERYTHING. She seems to forget we covered this topic 2 weeks ago.
  
  

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• aboodtobe member

  August 2014

  @emmojess I am totally in the same situation. It sucks and, in my opinion, is pretty brutal. Especially since non profits tend to pay less anyway. It's pretty sad how maternity leave is treated in this country. Ironically, my husband has more benefits for paternity leave than I do for maternity leave. How backwards is that?

  
  

  Also, is your friend's company hiring? Just kidding...sort of. 

  

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• BreandMikewedding member

  August 2014

  I'm sorry. I thought they had better maternity leave in ny. My job didn't have any paid maternity leave either and it was causing me pregnancy complications so I kept using my pto and then I ended up having to take a week off and didn't have pto and still had to pay daycare and everything else. We finally decided it was better for me to quit. Can your dh get a second job now to help stock pile some cash for maternity leave?

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