How long are you getting for maternity leave?

lexishay · September 2014

I was reading over my works policies and procedures for maternity leave so I am prepared for what I will need to do. As I began reading over them it says you can have up to 30 days off for maternity leave but before you leave you must give a 10 days notice! If my son comes late by any means it will throw my leave off by weeks. I'm thinking about trying to find another job so that will allow me more time on leave but what places will hire a 6 month pregnant woman. I feel so much stress to be able to time every thing completely perfect but I have no idea what to do!

letsgox · September 2014

That's a lot to worry about, especially when babies tend to come on their own schedule. Do you work for a company of more than 50 employees? Are you covered by FMLA?

Paging @WillCMyInk‌

letsgox · September 2014

With DD I took the full 12 weeks of leave protected by FMLA. Every company is different in their STD benefits during this time (if applicable). Some of my leave was unpaid (2 weeks I believe), and the rest was a mixture of PTO (100% pay) and STD (85% pay).

Josie400 · September 2014

I'm sorry you are in this frustrating situation. Be careful with switching jobs because you may not get any benefits or time off by the time baby arrives.

I'll be taking 4 weeks fully paid (PTO) and 4 weeks STD at 65%.

Cbeanz · September 2014

12 weeks at 100% pay with option of 1 yr unpaid. I'll see how I feel at 12 weeks. Last time I took 5 months and it felt long for me personally.

OP, talk to HR. You might get 30 days from your delivery and they're just asking for an estimate. Good luck!

lexishay · September 2014

I work in a company of well over 50 employees does that change the policy somehow? I expressed my concern to my manager about the 10 days notice and he doesn't seem too concerned about it. Another issue I am having is they said they will only honor leave if you've been with the company a full year. I am due my 11th month with them but is it really legal for them to not give me any leave at all? Thank you all so much for the help and suggestions so far!

lexishay · September 2014

One more thing I forgot! Sorry my brain is everywhere is that all of my 30 days are unpaid. I have about a week of PTO saved but other than that everything will be completely unpaid. I really wanted more time with my son since this is my first child.

CanukMam · September 2014

1 year baby! Woohoo

Gonna share it with my hubby though, I think it's important that he gets the time to bond with LO. Plus a year is a long ass time!

EDIT: I really feel for you ladies in the US. It's time they start prioritizing families so you don't have to stress so much about this stuff

lexishay · September 2014

It's so much too take in at once! I'm afraid to lose my job if I don't qualify for the leave. Do you have any idea how most places work with that when you're that close to a year? @ladyamanuet‌

Jellybean707 · September 2014

I will take 12 weeks unpaid leave. It will be an unprotected LOA since I am not covered by FMLA.

lexishay · September 2014

@CanukMam‌ @Cbeanz‌ I am so jealous of a whole year. I would never want to go back! I would love to have that much time with my son!

lexishay · September 2014

@ladyamanuet‌ thank you so much for your help! It's been super stressful and I feel like no one at my job is helping me figure out what it all means

lexishay · September 2014

@Beckydewell‌ I think 12 weeks is a great amount of time to adjust!

Cbeanz · September 2014

Technically FMLA doesn't need to be paid leave, and a company might require you use all vacation for the year first. But there's no telling what the policy will be since you don't qualify for FMLA.

Hopefully the baby comes late, you use vacation first, and you reach the 1 year mark to qualify for FMLA!

lexishay · September 2014

@Cbeanz‌ I am due the 14th of January and my one year I believe is the 1st of February! So it's plausible to hold him in that long. I would be miserable those two weeks but at least then id get time with him!

Pips09 · September 2014

I think you need to talk with your HR or management to clarify the policy. Are you covered by FMLA?

lexishay · September 2014

My company is a subsidized version of Sprint corporate and the subsidized company is based out of Virginia and I'm in WV so I will probably have to call into HR and see what their take on it is. And there suggestion

lexishay · September 2014

@ladyamanuet‌ My company is a subsidized version of Sprint corporate and the subsidized company is based out of Virginia and I'm in WV so I will probably have to call into HR and see what their take on it is. And there suggestion

lexishay · September 2014

@Pips09‌ I fall short of the one year mark for it by two weeks!

JerseyHopeful · September 2014

6-8 weeks STD depending on vaginal or cesarean delivery than 6 weeks family leave the NJ started about 5 years ago for bonding with baby. Both are 2/3 of your salary but max at $595 so it's actually about 40%. Still getting paid $595 a week so stay home with my baby is better than nothing. I will not be using my PTO because I will have almost 9 months left in the year when I return and will want it for that time.

lexishay · September 2014

@saiven‌ so if I can try to make it two extra weeks to make it to my one year (I know that's a little crazy but it's a thought) i would by law be covered for 12 weeks correct? Just making sure I'm understanding correct!

MichaelSC28 · September 2014

I am just going into the Federal gov't and I am 5 months preggers and won't be in long enough to be covered by FMLA. However the HR lady I have talked to at the agency I am going to says there should not be an issue with my request for 8 weeks of unpaid leave.

I am sorry to hear that your manager is being such a jerk about this! But to be honest...umm maybe you should just give them a notice every 10 days...until he/she comes. So technically he can't say that you didn't give them notice. I am really surprised you can't talk to HR about this and getting something figured out. Is this boss the CEO or is he just a manager. If he is not the owner I would take it to HR and get the CEO involved. I know you work for a pretty small company but there might be some leeway that way.

lexishay · September 2014

@MichaelSC28‌ that's a good idea about notifying them every few days just so they can't say I didn't give notice no one tells you how confusing all of this is!

lexishay · September 2014

@saiven‌ that's what I was kind of considering with putting my two weeks in and have my last day January first I just worry about not being able to find a job in a reasonable amount of time and the company never hiring me back if it came to it. I don't really forsee that being an issue but if it is I don't know what I would do

tripletoe · September 2014

I'm going to be off for 12-13 months, another Canadian here. I don't know how you all go back so soon, it would be so hard! It isnt fair! I went back when DD was 11 months and I still did not feel ready

TXUltraRunner · September 2014

I'm offered 6 weeks taken as a leave of absence (aka unpaid).

mc0113 · September 2014

I get 8 weeks paid at 100% then have the option to take my 3 weeks paid vacation then can take 1 year unpaid.

lexishay · September 2014

@tripletoe I know it's crazy how soon you have to go back here! I don't feel like any amount of time will be long enough!

lexishay · September 2014

@saiven‌ I hope that I can find a solution sooner rather than later! I will probably make my final decision within the next few weeks I know we wouldn't be able to go without me getting a job for long!

lexishay · September 2014

@ladyamanuet‌ I will have to find out for sure how many employees there are I wanna say around 40ish in my district so I may be pushing it!

lexishay · September 2014

@Beckydewell‌ I know that if I want him to come later he'll come early and if I want him to come earlier than later he'll come later hahaha that's my luck

lexishay · September 2014

@mc0113‌ I'm so jealous of all of you that have the opportunity for that long off! Even if it is unpaidb

Pips09 · September 2014

I would still approach your HR/Management and ask about using FMLA. If you hit the one year mark 2 weeks after going out, you will then be eligible. So along as you are granted at least 2 weeks of leave, and are employed while you are on leave, you will be eligible for the 12 weeks (as long as you meet all the other requirements). I hope that makes sense.

liladelphia215 · September 2014

My first Maternity leave was so uncomplicated. 8 weeks paid at 75% paid by the company.

This time is a little more complicated.

If I choose to RCS I'll get 8 weeks STD at 66%. Then I'll use a week of PTO and 2 weeks unpaid FMLA for a total of 11 weeks.

If I choose VBAC I'll get 6 weeks STD at 66%. If we have enough saved up, I may try for one week of PTO and three weeks of unpaid FMLA... but I think that may be stretching us thin.

That said, I'm highly considering the RCS so that I can work up to the day before the RCS and have 11 full weeks with the baby. My recovery last time was pretty smooth and I can only imagine it would be easier this time.

bkmama · September 2014

8 weeks paid at 100%, 4 weeks unpaid but can use vacation time.

I'm hoping to work out a deal with my company to work part-time from home, but we'll see. I might also research tech freelance options and then quit after my maternity leave is over, since I don't earn enough to make daycare/nanny a good option.

llambrose · September 2014

I guess I am pretty lucky this time around (for someone in the US that is). I work for a university that offers the equivalent of 6 weeks paid (100%) parental leave. I can also use my STD for an additional 6 weeks. I am thinking that I might take off 10 full weeks and then go back 3 days a week for the next 5 weeks to hopefully ease into it. I am super jealous of you people in places like Canada! I SO wish I lived there. I don't know why the US is so behind on things like this. I would happily take the whole year if I could and it probably still wouldn't feel like enough. I quit my job that I had 5 years ago when my daughter was born and stayed home with her for 2 years, it was wonderful! Unfortunately, I make more money than my husband now and I do have a really great job so I can't really do that this time. I am super nervous about how I am going to go back to work with a newborn plus I know I am going to feel really shitty because I will feel like I have no time to spend with my kids and will miss out on so much. I hate the US...

1BabyFritsch · September 2014

I won't be at my job a year so I will have 2 weeks pre baby and then 8 weeks post baby. At 60% pay my work had very specific guidelines regarding this . Luckily I will be graduating from school right before baby comes/ right at this time so I am going to be using my time off to look for a job in my field so I don't actually go back to my current job. I only am staying to get the 60% pay and benefits

lexishay · September 2014

I wish things weren't so complicated for all of us! If only we got paid to be a full time mom!!! Thank you all for answering honestly it really has helped me see a few different options that I have!

MarxieVonTrapp · September 2014

PLEASE remember all this when you go to vote in the next election. PLEASE.

https://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/3712

rodiesmum · September 2014

With DD i got ten weeks. With this one - id still know by end of the year if they will be extending my employment, cuz if not might SAH or find a WFH opportunity instead.

houseofthree · September 2014

Canadian over here too. So I'll get a year off as well. Also my company tops me up to 100% pay for the first 6 weeks then i just get the 55% for the rest of the year.
I feel for you ladies who have to go back after only a few weeks. So thankful to be canadian!

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