Maternity leave and Short Term Disability

Elley1486 · December 2014

So my company policy is no paid maternity leave. You can use your vacations and sick time during to keep getting salary but once that runs out you no longer get a paycheck. Luckily for me I get just over 4 weeks paid time...but I would like to have the comfort of 2 more weeks if I wanted them. I am a FTM and don't know what to expect, have no idea what we are going to do for childcare after I return to work and who knows what could happen? I could need to go on leave prior to the birth for any reasons. And that means any time that I need to take off after I use my time for maternity leave I will need to make up for in over-time or owe to the company.

I read online that some states allow you to collect short term disability for maternity leave. Sadly, NC is not one of them. Do any states really let you do that or did I just get sucked into incorrect internet information (it does happen people!).

Is there some option that I am not thinking of?

delujm0 · December 2014

I live in NC and the short term disability provided by my employer will cover the first 6-8 weeks of maternity leave provided that i have worked here for a year when i deliver (I've been here 4+ years). I don't think this is a state by state thing. It depends on the policy that you have.

Are you concerned about not getting paid or about actually taking the leave? If you've been at your job more than a year you are covered under FMLA to take 12 weeks off (unpaid). Your employer must hold your job for you. But getting compensation during leave varies widely by employer. If you truly will not be paid try to start saving up now. If you can't afford to rake unpaid leave you'll have to go back to work as soon as you run out of paid time off.

Elley1486 · December 2014

I can take the 12 weeks, no problem. It is an issue with our policy that I can either take my alloted time off with pay and come back after or just take time off without pay. If I take time off with pay, I actually have to pay my employer for my health and dental, since they don't remove you from the policy while on leave.

I was just wondering if there were some other options ppl were considering that I am not. I don't think I would want to miss more than 6 weeks at the most (I am a work control freak), but just trying to "plan" for the unexpected. I could not willingly stay home with no pay because I don't feel it's fair to put that burden on our finances or put all that burden on my DH. We are pay check to pay check type of people. We are trying to save now and will be saving most of our taxes but god only knows what will come up between now and then!

silentdormancy · December 2014

My employer doesn't offer maternity leave and I have no paid vacation either. (Yay USA!!) so I'm going to file for short term disability(New York)and I think you receive like 170 a week so I'm going back to work as soon as I can unfortunately. You should call whatever number you'd call for disability in your state to make sure you're not eligible and then tell them your situation to see if there's any government funding you'd be eligible for. hopefully there's something.

blastocarrier30 · December 2014

I live in NC, too, and my insurance situation is very different now that I no longer work for the state, but when I did I could use short term disability to cover maternity leave. Some organizations have rules about how long you need to have been registered for short term disability, but you should still be able to use it (for example, as a state employee registering in December I would not be able to collect this coming June but would be able to the following June). I would double check your policy and perhaps even call a representative to make sure.

mamahawk12 · December 2014

Unfortunately, unless you qualify for some type of assistance, you might be out of luck in terms of short term disability payment. Some companies, like Aflac, allow you to buy short term disability insurance, but you obviously need to do that before becoming pregnant.

Katerina&Baby · December 2014

I'm confused - your employer doesn't do paid maternity but you have 4 weeks of paid leave (presumably vacation) that you want to use and your employer has a policy that you have to pay them back for health/dental premiums that the company would normally pay for any VACATION days that you use? This doesn't seem like it could possibly be the case. Please clarify - I want to be helpful but this seems odd to me.

Keep in mind that daycare may not be willing to take an infant until they are a certain number of weeks old so definitely start researching now if you want to go back between 4-6 weeks.

I'm not sure what your financial situation is but you may also consider taking out a small loan to help with expenses during your time out of the office. It would obviously be preferable to save the extra money up first but a small personal loan could be a nice safety net in case something crazy happens.

delujm0 · December 2014

When I take the unpaid portion of my leave, my medical and dental premiums will accrue because I owe them since I'm still on the policies. They will come out of my first paycheck when I return to work. So technically i have to pay my premiums to my employer, but they don't make me pay them until I get back.

You might feel great after 6 weeks...I have plenty of friends that went back to work that early. But you might not feel up to it yet so be prepared for that. Also start looking into daycare/nanny/child care options. Some places here will take babies as early as 6 weeks but others won't even take them until 3 months. So make sure you have planned for that.

Ana0927 · December 2014

I get 16 weeks mat leave and 4 of those weeks are paid. Like you, I can use sick/vacation time to cover maybe another 2 weeks. What we did last pregnancy and will do it for this one as well is live off of one salary. Starting next month we are going to live of my husbands salary and tuck my paychecks away to have as a cushion when I am on leave.

I know its not something everyone can do but, if you can swing it I would suggest it.

kerrymarie44 · December 2014

I am doing STD since we don't have maternity leave either. I was say, however, that pregnancy is considered a pre-existing condition so they may not accept you into the program already being pregnant. My employer said it was a good thing that I signed up for it last year proactively or I would have lost it this year.

Elley1486 · December 2014

Katerina&Baby said:

I'm confused - your employer doesn't do paid maternity but you have 4 weeks of paid leave (presumably vacation) that you want to use and your employer has a policy that you have to pay them back for health/dental premiums that the company would normally pay for any VACATION days that you use? This doesn't seem like it could possibly be the case. Please clarify - I want to be helpful but this seems odd to me. Keep in mind that daycare may not be willing to take an infant until they are a certain number of weeks old so definitely start researching now if you want to go back between 4-6 weeks. I'm not sure what your financial situation is but you may also consider taking out a small loan to help with expenses during your time out of the office. It would obviously be preferable to save the extra money up first but a small personal loan could be a nice safety net in case something crazy happens.

I receive 4 weeks total in paid sick and vacation time. I can use that for my maternity leave so I can continue getting my normal salary. If I stay out longer than my 4 weeks of sick/vacation time, I will not get paid by my employer, however, they will continue to keep me on their health insurance. So therefore, if I stay on maternity leave longer than the 4 weeks, when I get back, I would owe my employer for the health insurance deductions for however many weeks I am over, as they would pay full price for me.

Thanks for all your input ladies. Again, I don't see myself wanting to take any more like 6 weeks at most (unless health reasons occur) because I am a total freak about work and more than likely will continue to work minimally even while at home on maternity leave.

I do need to figure out what to do about daycare. My mom may come stay with us until we can get the LO into a place (if we need to wait for a certain age after I got back to work), but I am also considering speaking to my employer about working from home a few days a week to cut back on childcare expenses and give me some options.

Being an adult is hard!

dkleid · December 2014

Also keep in mind that most doctors wont let you go back to work until you are at least 6 weeks Post Pardum. I thought i was only going to get 6 weeks but i am eligible for 8 weeks maternity leave. 2 of those weeks happen to be from PTO that i will be saving.. IF i need to have a C-Section then I will get 8 weeks of Mat leave. (1 week paid, 7 weeks Short term disability that my company pays for, which i would only be getting 60% of my salary) Also keep in mind that if you have to have a C-Section you probably wont be allowed to go back until you are 8 weeks. 99% of the employers that I know of also require a Dr's note before you are allowed to come back to work.

Trampslikeus · December 2014

STD was available to me as a benefit, but it's a weekly deduction from the paycheck, and not knowing how long it would take me to get pregnant, we decided it wasn't worth it. You can't sign up for it after you're already pregnant. To qualify for STD from the government, I believe you need to be unemployed or be below a combined family income maximum.

DolphinLover2002 · December 2014

I'm confused - your employer doesn't do paid maternity but you have 4 weeks of paid leave (presumably vacation) that you want to use and your employer has a policy that you have to pay them back for health/dental premiums that the company would normally pay for any VACATION days that you use? This doesn't seem like it could possibly be the case. Please clarify - I want to be helpful but this seems odd to me.

Keep in mind that daycare may not be willing to take an infant until they are a certain number of weeks old so definitely start researching now if you want to go back between 4-6 weeks.

I'm not sure what your financial situation is but you may also consider taking out a small loan to help with expenses during your time out of the office. It would obviously be preferable to save the extra money up first but a small personal loan could be a nice safety net in case something crazy happens.

My job is the same way. I'm allowed up to 12 weeks of maternity leave, but it's all non paid. I can use my std for the first 6-8 weeks, but it's only partial pay. Then I have to use my saved up vacation and sick pay for the rest of my leave. Since my employer still continues my insurance while on leave, I still have to pay my premiums. If I'm getting a paycheck, it's automatically taken out of my check. If I'm not getting a check though, I have to call my insurance company and pay them the premiums I owe them. If I don't pay, they can cancel my insurance. I have to pay every 2 weeks, I don't get to wait until I go back to work.

scprincessrn · December 2014

I get 6 weeks short term disability at 60% of my base pay. I'm also going to take an additional 6 weeks as allowed by FMLA. I will have 3 weeks of vacation time saved up by the time I deliver so the last 3 weeks will be without pay. We have been saving some every paycheck since the BFP and are going to put our tax return into savings to help cover mortgage and bills while I'm out.

HappinessIsJune2015 · December 2014

My employer allows 6 weeks STD for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for c-section. I am going to put in 4 weeks of my accrued time as well to get either 10 or 12 weeks off total. My STD is 60 percent ish of my salary and while on STD, my employer still covers their portion of my benefits and I will owe my portion when I return. If I have to take an unpaid leave, I would be responsible for 100 percent of my benefits as my employer doesn't cover them on an unpaid leave.

Edited: fixing my terrible grammar!

housewifebecomesher · December 2014

I am a work control freak too, but the 12 weeks my company provides were amazing and I did not once wish I went back sooner! I realize our policy is very generous and not everyone can afford to take that much, but I think you will find it goes by much faster than you think. If you end up having a c-section I think most doctors recommend at least 8 weeks before you go back.

delujm0 · December 2014

@brennazesquire‌ I agree that state STD isn't great benefits...but some companies have private STD (mine does) where I'll use 5 days of PTO first and then the 5-7 weeks of STD are at 100% of my salary. Just wanted to put that out there for anyone reading this...STD benefits can vary depending on employer.

My employer covers STD for all full time employees, but with some employers you would have to opt in and pay for that yourself. In which case you need to be covered already before you get pregnant. Otherwise maternity leave is a pre-existing condition and it won't cover you.

avazirian · December 2014

I get 6 weeks paid and 6 weeks at 60% of what I make if I take more I can use my PTO and vacation.

MeganKO · December 2014

STD is an option for me but because I wasn't signed up before I was pregnant I was denied coverage. Pregnancy was determined a pre existing condition. Such a bummer!

gaylew5 · December 2014

I live in Ny so i get the STD at 170 per week
For up to 6 weeks for vag delivery. Fortunately my union covers my salary up to70% on top of STD. The lame thing is that this is for only 6 weeks.. but i will use 2 weeks vacation and may use an additional 2 weeks of my max alloted yearly sick leave. Im trying to milk the stingy shitty US system as much as i can because they are so cheap with professional, hardworking moms.

mathistm · December 2014

I'm in Ny and our short term disability is posted with all the other necessary things to run a business-osha guidelines, minimum wage etc. Your company should have this all posted somewhere as a part of federal guidelines-maybe in HR? Ours is all in our kitchen/break room. In Ny you get short term disability-up to $170 a week depending on your 8 most recent weeks of work. You have to be out for over a week to start receiving it and you can receive it for 6 weeks with a vaginal delivery and 8 with a c-section. Our particular insurance company for the disability was listed right on this poster.

jesscmv · December 2014

I live in Indiana and work for the city. We have a short term disability bank that we have to fill with unused sick time. Once filled I can use it for 12 weeks maternity leave. I feel very fortunate, and I thought more companies were moving towards this. I would double check to be safe. Good luck, 4 weeks seems like nothing and I hope you get more time!

shalana11 · December 2014

Disability is paid for the period of recovery from your labor - duration depends if you deliver vaginally or by c section

mandybacken · December 2014

Some states have a state run disability program, others don't. Your employer may pay for one through a private carrier as a benefit to you. Aflac has one, but there's a one year waiting period for maternity benefits (I think).

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