Any teachers here? How long are you taking for maternity leave?

meredith6484 · September 2014

:-)

threepeasonepod · September 2014

I'm due April 23 so I'll have to take right at 6 before summer if all goes well. We were hoping for an April baby-the timing couldn't be better!

acrotzer · September 2014

Due April 12th with no paid maternity beyond sick days, so I will be back after 6 weeks. That means I'll be back for about 3 days. If I don't, I won't get paid through the summer...at least that's how I understand things!

JulieMarie21 · September 2014

With DD, I had her in August and took the full 18 weeks off, not returning until after winter break in January. I may do the same if finances are okay and then not go back until Octoberish. However it sucks returning in the middle of the school year. I was hoping for a February due date so I could return in August (we have a freakishly short summer).

MPKbaby237 · September 2014

Not a teacher but I work in a school as an AP. I'm due April 15th, and I plan to take 6 weeks using my vacation days.

mamabernsteinbear15 · September 2014

I plan to take around 10 wks so it puts me out for the summer! I work for a cyber school though so if I decided to come back a day or two at the end if the school year I can work from home. Absolutely love that my maternity will run right into summer break and will get an extra 8 weeks!!.

lindsayanne14 · September 2014

I'm a school counselor, going to take off the end of the school year (about a month will be unpaid). I plan to go back for the last clerical day of the year so I get paid and receive benefits over the summer.

meredith6484 · September 2014

I only have 15 days of leave. So I will have a month before school gets out when I deliver. I'm thinking I will take 1-2 weeks off and the go back half time. Am I crazy? I just can't afford the pay doc.

starshollow · September 2014

It really depends on how many snow days we have this winter. I am planning a RCS so I will get 8 weeks. I hope that takes me to the summer. I have more than enough sick time to cover the 8 weeks.

mindyp16 · September 2014

Due April 4th: My plan is to take 7 weeks (4 of those using saved paid sick days) then return for the last 2 weeks to review and give final exams. Will use relatives and hubs to babysit those 2 weeks and find a day care provider for the new school year. :-) I wonder if any of our waters will break at school?! Gaaaah!

meredith6484 · September 2014

That'd be funny! Well a long time after would be funny. LOL

Kath1083 · September 2014

We get out early may 23rd so as long as we don't have a crazy amount of snow days I'll only have to take 5 weeks. We are allowed to save up sick days so I hope to be okay. It's crazy that you guys have to go back to get summer benefits it dosent seem fair.

galba08 · September 2014

I'm due April 25th so I think it will be about 4 weeks before school is out. Perfect timing to have a baby and be a teacher because we will get the whole summer to spend with our bundle of joy!

purple_2012 · September 2014

I'm due April 17th, so my 6 weeks should take me right up to the start of summer break. That's if baby comes on its EDD or later. About 3 of those weeks will be unpaid since I don't have a lot of time built up.

MandieLeeS123 · September 2014

I work in early childhood care so we are open year round however I get a full three month maternity but it's unpaid so I gotta save my pennies.

itshumpday · September 2014

Due the 29th. Taking the rest of the year off and returning after summer... As long as DH can pull me away from my baby!

rachel3212 · September 2014

I'm due the 16th. We get out on may 26th. Im contiplating taking off from our spring break ( second to last week of march) to the end of the year but that will be 8 weeks. My mom is also a teacher in my state and I think she can send me some of her sick days so that I don't have to go wittout pay...still have to check into that tho.. If I can't use her days then I will just be taking 6 off and going for a week or two without pay

trlricha · September 2014

Mine will be roughly six and a half weeks. Praying for less snow this year. Snow days killed us last year....went a whole week longer than expected! I should have about 4 weeks covered.

trlricha · September 2014

acrotzer said:
Due April 12th with no paid maternity beyond sick days, so I will be back after 6 weeks. That means I'll be back for about 3 days. If I don't, I won't get paid through the summer...at least that's how I understand things!

This is crazy. So if you don't go back at some point before summer, they won't pay you over the summer?? Now I'm worried. It never occurred to me that schools might do something like that....I'll be making a call on Monday to see if that is the case for my school. If so I may be going back for the last week!

bstrenn · September 2014

Hi all! I am a teacher and this is my first year teaching. I am due April 30th and school gets out May 22. So I am planning on not returning for the school year. I am all new to this but how does maternity leave work in the school systems? I am also a military wife and do not have insurance through my school... Will i still get maternity leave? I'm all confused. Also I am not asking work yet because I'm only 7 weeks. Going to wait until 14 weeks to tell. But if anyone has any advice for me that would be great!

MagalinaH · September 2014

acrotzer said:
Due April 12th with no paid maternity beyond sick days, so I will be back after 6 weeks. That means I'll be back for about 3 days. If I don't, I won't get paid through the summer...at least that's how I understand things!

Whoa, that doesn't seem cool at all... Because technically you shouldn't be employed by them over the summer. Check your contract. We're contracted for 188 days, but paid over 12 months (we don't have a choice). If I didn't come back 3 days, I just wouldn't get paid 1/188th for each day, but they couldn't withhold my summer pay because it'd be money they owe me from days I already worked.

I'm due exactly 6 weeks from the last day of school and we have 1 in service day after that. I can take up to 8 weeks leave using accrued sick days (I have 52 days saved up), so I won't be coming back this school year.

MagalinaH · September 2014

@mindyp16‌, that thought hadn't even crossed my mind! I just found a new nightmare to add to my weird dreams rotation. Lol.

mtothep · September 2014

I will take 8 weeks after the twins are born, my DW will take 4 weeks after I go back to work - this should bring us to summer so that they'll be 5 months by the time they start daycare.

acrotzer · September 2014

@trlricha‌ I haven't talked to anyone yet, but that's what I've heard from 3 different teachers. Basically, they look at it as you took more than your FMLA time (6 weeks). We have a half day the last day of each semester, so HR told my friend she at least needed to go back for that half day to get paid through the summer. This is in Tennessee.

MagalinaH · September 2014

@acrotzer, FMLA protects you up to 12 weeks as long as you've been employed for at least 12 months, worked 1250 hours in those 12 months, and your company is larger than 50 employees or a public school. They cannot deny you benefits or terminate you during that time.

chicsugar · September 2014

I am due April 14th and school let's out June 4th. I am going to take as much sick time as I have (after 6 years teaching, I should have enough to cover the 6 weeks) and will take the rest unpaid. I never thought about having to go back in to be paid through June (how my district does it). I guess I will find out when I notify my principal that I am pregnant.

55 · September 2014

I'm due April 22, and school gets out May 23. I'm planning to just take the last six weeks off so I don't have to worry about my water breaking at school or getting everything ready at the last minute. As of now, it looks like my paycheck won't cover childcare in our area, so unless I find a miraculously cheap sitter, I won't be returning in the fall.

smb121110 · September 2014

I'm due April 30th and have a 6 week maternity leave. I'm considering taking off the week before too, just because I think my dates are off.

I have disability insurance, which covers 60-80% of my pay. Otherwise, I don't know what I'd do! I'm A Private School teacher, So I Only Get 6/7 sick days.

BillyPilgrimV · September 2014

This is my first year teaching but second year working in this district. Unfortunately I won't have very much time paid, even with our sick leave bank. Since I'm due around April 22 my plan was to take 5 weeks off and return right after Memorial Day. That would leave me with 2 weeks working until summer break, I figure I can manage that.

alie78_80 · September 2014

I will take spring break through the rest of the school year. I'm due April 7, school starts back April 6th from spring break. The year is over June 5. I could take more time, I get 60 days, but will only take 44 (unless snow days are crazy). All my time is banked sick time and I have over 60 currently, which is great since I will get paid the entire time. This worked out really well with DS, so I hope it'll be the same with this one.

Ohhbaby2015 · September 2014

Due April 10, right at the end of easter break. I plan on staying out the rest of the year. No one to watch baby and I'm not putting my 6 week old in daycare. Unpaid leave but we'll save up and have hubby's salary unt I leave next school year.

astrat017 · September 2014

I'm assuming everyone here lives in the states or something? Do you not get a year long mat leave anywhere down there? I feel frustrated for you all

hougensarah · September 2014

Are you ladies all teachers in the USA?? I live in Canada and here teachers usually take the full year off! It's almost unheard of in Canada for women to have to go back to work after 6 or 8 weeks postpartum. I haven't totally looked into it yet but I think here our government gives us maternity employment insurance and then the teachers association tops up your pay for at least 6 months. If you don't go back after 6 months the government still pays you about $1600/month for the rest of the year postpartum.
I feel frustrated for you all also!!

rachel3212 · September 2014

Not in the US! Each state is different with their education policies, but I think its pretty general that they have to give you 6 weeks off...but if you want to get paid you have to use your sick days. And in my state, if you go a month without pay you loose your insurance. Welcome to America!

hougensarah said:
Are you ladies all teachers in the USA?? I live in Canada and here teachers usually take the full year off! It's almost unheard of in Canada for women to have to go back to work after 6 or 8 weeks postpartum. I haven't totally looked into it yet but I think here our government gives us maternity employment insurance and then the teachers association tops up your pay for at least 6 months. If you don't go back after 6 months the government still pays you about $1600/month for the rest of the year postpartum.
I feel frustrated for you all also!!

pipparox · September 2014

In canada, we get a year of paid leave. I will be taking off after report cards in March and returning the following march (2016). As teachers, we also get salary top off for 27 weeks of our leave. However, if a teacher holiday (spring break, summer break, Xmas) interrupts the first 17 weeks, they deduct the weeks from the 17. So-because of timing, I will lose approx 5 weeks of salary top off. I would def check with your human resources to clarify that you still receive salary throughout the summer.