How long are you getting for maternity leave?

MNgirl326 · September 2014

I will take 12 weeks. Then I will go back to work for 8 weeks and then be home with baby and DS over the summer.

my mom is thinking about coming and staying with us for those 8 weeks so that baby doesn't have to go to daycare. We are talking about it. Becasuse its my mom.....in my house...for 8 weeks. ::eye twitch::

AggieMom0809 · September 2014

A 10 day notice sounds really odd. Then again I was forced on to maternity leave while working with my first almost 2 months early, their choice not mine or my OBs. Their leave was for up to 6weeks. Pay depended on the number of paid days you had accumulated. Needless to say I didn't go back. Now I have 18y maternity leave. Until my youngest goes to college, I'm off the hook for even thinking about having to go back to work.

myrainbowbaby2015 · September 2014

In Australia I get 18 weeks paid time off, then will take whatever annual leave I have saved up and can take up to 2 years maternity leave from my job if I want to! Crazy how different it is!

lexishay · September 2014

All of these years off for leave make me soooo jealous I want that so bad! I'm going to have to check with my company to see if there is anything they'll do for me but so far it isn't looking so good!

millymillz · September 2014

I'm not covered by FMLA, so I may only get 10 days...

llbne · September 2014

I get 14 weeks at full pay, and then a further 12 at about 75%. Then I will take a bit unpaid to get it up to about 8 months. I am able to take up to a year unpaid if I want but we can't afford that.

kilayla13 · September 2014

I have no idea what I'm going to do!

firegalb · September 2014

I'm so lucky to be a Canadian sometimes...

LadyXaverian · September 2014

I could take a year off and not lose my job, but I wouldn't be paid. I will take 8 weeks. I will have 3-4 paid by sick leave and the rest unpaid. We are saving up for it now.

ladyprof · September 2014

I'm in a unique academic setting as well. I'm "taking off" the spring semester by not teaching but I've still said I will do all my administrative duties like go to meetings and run some things internally that I can supervise at my leisure or by being in and out of the office with the baby. Hopefully that means I'll still get paid, although I haven't confirmed it for sure. I was paid last time but I only got a month with the twins. I'll probably be completely off the grid for about a month and then be available as needed.

Then I'll make it to the summer and I may or may not research this summer depending on how I'm feeling. So new LO will have to start daycare (or some other full time childcare arrangement) around August of next year.

LOZENGER25 · September 2014

I'm not getting any maternity leave. I'm a full time carer for my disabled husband.

jmcmoe · September 2014

llambrose said:
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...

The US really needs to get with the times! We get a year here in Canada, but our French exchange student says there that they get one year paid and a second year unpaid if you want it, but the job is held for you to come back!

lexishay · September 2014

Isn't it crazy how much we all differ on these type of things I'm going to see if I can go start part time somewhere else so I can take a longer leave I think it's going to be my only option

elleswarth · September 2014

I get 6 weeks for vaginal, 8 weeks for c-section from the last day that I work at 60% of my pay. Definitely trying to work until I go into labor so I can have as much time with baby instead of just sitting around waiting for her! I don't qualify for FMLA because I've just switched jobs again and haven't been in my current position for a year. My manager claims she will hold my spot for me though, so let's hope! Hate the uncertainty, but there's nothing I can do about it.

jennyhatt · September 2014

@jmcmoe- teachers full time employed in Ontario can take up to four years unpaid - job is held. So it does exist in some careers

rainbows · September 2014

Our official policy says "Reasonable recovery period lasting no longer than 6 weeks". Unofficially, I can take however long I need to. But I will have to use PTO to receive any payment for the time off. Luckily I have been banking almost all of my PTO for the last 3 years and will have 8 weeks available by due date. Also will get 2 weeks of vacation when the year starts that I could use.

I plan to take from the week of Christmas (or whenever he pops out), until the 2nd week of Feb, after we get back from vacation off. So I wont really know how many weeks I will need until he arrives.

Company is less than 50 people so FLMA doesnt apply, but its a very family friendly company so I may even try to work from home 1-2 days a week after the 2nd week and extend my leave another week or two.