Maternity Leave Plans...

lilitaliangirl · March 2015

This may have been asked already but I didn't see anything checking a few pages back. So, what is everyone planning for maternity leave (time off). I get my FMLA, but only get paid for the vacation and sick time I've accrued. So, I will only get paid for 6 weeks of the 12 weeks.

I think I may take 9 weeks and then work part time/4 hr days for 3 weeks before going back full time. I am curious why some companies allow you to use short term disability and others don't.

kbbtah · March 2015

My employer pays for short-term disability for all employees as part of our compensation package. There are rules/restrictions to use it, but it is better than nothing. Other places I've worked have not offered it, but you always have the option to purchase on your own. (Not sure if you could do that now, as pregnancy may be considered a preexisting condition.) Even with short term disability, ill only take 10 weeks.

auburnmamma · March 2015

Our short term policy isn't very good and I'd have to pay out of pocket. It's quite expensive. I'm taking the full 12 weeks. I've accrued enough to take 8 weeks of sick (max sick time allowed for c section) 2 weeks parental leave and 2 weeks vacation.

mamahawk12 · March 2015

Your company has to provide a short term disability plan/ insurance as part of their benefit package - that's why some offer it and some don't. You can purchase this kind of insurance as an individual as well, but obviously that would have needed to be done before you were pregnant.

My company pays for 12 weeks, so that's what I'll be taking.

bride92310 · March 2015

I'm a teacher and my leave coincides with summer break. I'll get June 6th through August 12th off with full pay.

dancegurl1118 · March 2015

My company allows up to 16 weeks FMLA (all unpaid) and 6 weeks STD at 60% pay if you've been in your coded position for a year (I'll be a month short unfortunately) in which the first 2 of the 6 weeks you have to cover with your banked PTO. Very confusing. If all goes according to timing and I don't need to take a single hour off before I deliver I will be paid for 6 of my 16 weeks, and living in a tent eating ramen for the remaining 10 8->

Frogger5 · March 2015

I've heard some STD plans do allow you to sign up after you're pregnant, but in my case at least it still had to be during open enrollment (ours was in October). I didn't look into whether our plan would have let me or not because I wouldn't be eligible. I work in a school, and summer break will cover my "period of disability" (the infamous 6-8 weeks after birth) so I'll be getting paid my regular salary at that time. We cannot use sick time after that initial 6-8 weeks (and hardly get any personal days which is fair considering the situation with summer and school breaks), so the 12 weeks I take in the fall will be unpaid. But I'll be off until Dec. 9th!

enigmaticjj · March 2015

My state allows 12 weeks FMLA, so I'll be taking the full 12 weeks in one chunk. I should have 6 weeks on STD (60% of income), but I think 8 weeks on STD if its a C-section. I'll also have 1 week "parental pay" from the company. Besides that it will all have to be my accrued vacation/sick time. My husband will also take the full 12 weeks FMLA (he'll have 1 week "parental pay" from the company too, but rest of the time just accrued vacation/sick time). We'll have our first 4 weeks overlap, then he'll finish the rest of his FMLA when I return to work. I know its not ideal as far as the lack of full paychecks, but we've been saving money so planning on having that to help cushion the gap in pay for this time. I figure this will allow us both one on one bonding time and time for us to figure things out as a new team of parents. Plus, hoping it might make it just a tad less stressful for me when I go back to work, knowing she'll be with her dad versus straight to a daycare.

vamaca · March 2015

I'm planning on taking 12 weeks/90 days of STD. The STD plan my organization has almost covers my entire salary so I'm lucky.

However I have just been offered a way better job (my security background check is pending so no start date yet) so I don't know what to do .... definitely these plans can be complicated.

klkonwi · March 2015

@dancegurl1118 I'm so jealous of your 16 weeks! My hospital only allows 12.

enigmaticjj · March 2015

@vamaca, I'm not sure if you're in the US or not, but if you are, one thing to consider is that I don't think you're covered under FMLA until you've been with your employer at least 12 months. Not saying the new employer wouldn't necessarily let you have the time away, but if its not covered under FMLA it just means your job isn't protected while you're out (not saying you'd lose it, just wouldn't necessarily have that peace of mind I suppose).

Regardless though, congratulations on the new job offer! Especially since its much better, that's awesome. I hope everything works out very well.

KonaCoffeeBean · March 2015

I'm self-employed so there's no benefits for maternity leave. Technically, I could take up as much time as I can afford, and financially, I'm sure I could do at least eight weeks. But in terms of keeping my law practice afloat, I think the sooner that I'm back the better. At this point, my plan is to start back in three weeks, but do a very gradual and gentle reentry until 12 weeks when I should be full-time again.

virginiaunicorn11 · March 2015

@lilitaliangirl my org has FMLA and has you use sick/vacation accruals, too, but they don't overlap with FMLA time. You may want to check if yours is that way, if you wanted to take longer (though unpaid is hard). Or maybe I'm reading your situation wrong.

I have been with my org for 8 years, and a smart boss in the beginning warned me about the crappy leave. ("If you even THINK you will be here when you have a family, don't blow your sick time. Save it.") So I have 15 weeks of sick/vacation accrued (paid leave), and then 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA on top of that. 27 weeks of maternity leave total.

My employer is being really wonderful, and giving me lots of flexibility if I find unpaid is too hard, and want to start back earlier, part-time. I'm really grateful for my situation. (Until I talk to European friends, but that's another story!) I am coming "back to work" on June 1 but going directly onto maternity leave, after a one-year leave of absence for a work-relevant fellowship program... So as @enigmaticjj says, they are not legally required to give me FMLA, but they are honoring it anyway.

CurlyMom78 · March 2015

I'll take my 12 weeks of FMLA that is covered by my sick time/vacation time accured. I've been saving like crazy! Luckily most of it will be during Summer Quarter (I work at a community college...no I'm not an instructor) which we work 36 hours/per week instead of 40 so I save 4 hours per week of sick time plus two holidays. My husband who works there too will take his 12 weeks of FMLA when I return to work in September during Fall Quarter. But he will take 2 weeks off after our LO is born.

dirtymartini · March 2015

I get 8 paid weeks (10 if I have C-section) and then I will take unpaid leave until 12 weeks after delivery.

MamaBish · March 2015

It's very confusing. I get 8 weeks of unpaid FMLA but it has to overlap with my vacation time. And I am allowed to save some of the FMLA for up to 2 years. The plan (for now!) is to take 7 weeks off, get paid for 3 weeks of that, then save a week for later on in the year for if/when baby gets sick.

It took my HR lady about an hour to explain it so I understood it, lol, she even drew a little diagram

ChrisLipstick · March 2015

I get 12 weeks paid leave. I will then take another 3 weeks of vacation and 3 weeks on sick leave for 18 weeks total.

delujm0 · March 2015

My company pays for short term disability for all full time employees who have been there more than 12 months. For maternity leave your first 5 days come out of accrued PTO but then the next 6 weeks (vaginal delivery) or 8 weeks (c section) are paid at either 100% or 65% depending on how long you've worked there. I have been there long enough to get up to 7 weeks at 100% pay and any extra weeks would be 65%.

We allow 12 weeks for FMLA so I will take 12 weeks. Anything not covered by short term disability will be unpaid.

devyns2nd · March 2015

I don't have anything useful to add since I'm a SAHM but everytime I see this I think it says maternity leave pants??? I always have to re-read it.

elizab14 · March 2015

I'm a teacher but not returning immediately in August. I'm taking my 10/12 weeks FMLA. Once baby comes I have short term disability for 6 weeks at 60%pay and then the last month no money. I've saved and I'm ok with baby coming a week late so I can get one more paycheck before I get bumped down to disability pay.

amooraxo · March 2015

I'm in Qatar and all companies here are required by government law to provide 50 [calendar] days paid maternity leave to all employees after they've been with their company for 1 year. And you can use this maternity leave once a year (in case of back to back pregnancies). So I will get 7 weeks paid and then I can also use any vacation time I have accrued. Anything over that will be unpaid. Right now I am planning just doing the 7, unless I feel like I need more time. The good thing is when I go back to work my MIL will be watching him and as a new mother we work only 7 hours per day (also by government law) for the first year of babies life. They call this "nursing time". So I will either go in to work 1 hour late or leave 1 hour early each day-- or I can take 2 hours during lunch to go to my MIL's house and nurse / eat lunch.

It's nice that the government at least makes some things a mandatory standards as apposed to the US when it's basically at the companies discretion as to whether it's paid or unpaid leave. We have even talked about having another baby while we are still living in Qatar just because it will save us so much on healthcare and work costs vs. having our next in USA.

littlebug2015 · March 2015

I am state employee and also Union. My union contract will allow me to take up to 26 weeks and use all accrued time (sick, vacation, and personal). Once time runs out the leave is unpaid. I'm choosing to take the full 26 weeks with my first baby and I'm looking forward to being home until after Christmas

zai215 · March 2015

I been employed 5 years and my boss don't pay maternity level no fmla or short term disability. I really don't know what I'm going to do.

lilitaliangirl · March 2015

zai215 said:
I been employed 5 years and my boss don't pay maternity level no fmla or short term disability. I really don't know what I'm going to do.

Not sure if u are full time and in the states, but if so don't you have to be given FMLA?

KonaCoffeeBean · March 2015

lilitaliangirl said:

zai215 said:
I been employed 5 years and my boss don't pay maternity level no fmla or short term disability. I really don't know what I'm going to do.
Not sure if u are full time and in the states, but if so don't you have to be given FMLA?

The law does not apply to companies with less than 50 employees. A pretty large chunk of the American work force is employed by small businesses. Even before I was a solo practioner, I never worked for a firm large enough to meet this threshold.

lilitaliangirl · March 2015

I didn't know that!

KaLikeAWind · March 2015

devyns2nd said:
I don't have anything useful to add since I'm a SAHM but everytime I see this I think it says maternity leave pants??? I always have to re-read it.

No FMLA for me either (small business employee). And I always see it as "Maternity Leave Pants", too, lol

)

chrissymkke · March 2015

Wow I feel very lucky to be a Canadian mom. We are allowed a full year off at 60% of our wage paid by the government. Plus monthly benefit checks also. I truly respect all you mamas who work hard to provide for your families, I am sure it is difficult having to go back to work so soon!

kbbtah · March 2015

zai215 said:
I been employed 5 years and my boss don't pay maternity level no fmla or short term disability. I really don't know what I'm going to do.

My heart breaks for you and all other US women in this situation. We really need to work with our representatives to help out our new mommas! My prayers are with you!

zai215 · March 2015

It's a small practices no fmla.
They said apply for part time unemployment but he not going for it either :-S

queequeg09256 · March 2015

Hubby and I are planning to watch all the hobbit movies and lord of the rings the first two weeks with lo. I don't get more than 6 weeks, but I think this will be a fun way to spend the first part of it.

chiudo · March 2015

I must admit that the package we have here in the UK is unbeatable.

Work in the health sector. And we are entitled to 1 year leave. Of which first 8 weeks is full pay and 9 to 26 weeks 70% pay. 27 - 39 weeks you recieve that government standard allowance . And you have option to keep in touch with your work so you can easily fit in when you return.

I plan to go for 34 weeks and then take extra 4 weeks accured annual leave at the end of my mat leave.

fivesgirl · March 2015

CurlyMom78 said:
I'll take my 12 weeks of FMLA that is covered by my sick time/vacation time accured. I've been saving like crazy! Luckily most of it will be during Summer Quarter (I work at a community college...no I'm not an instructor) which we work 36 hours/per week instead of 40 so I save 4 hours per week of sick time plus two holidays. My husband who works there too will take his 12 weeks of FMLA when I return to work in September during Fall Quarter. But he will take 2 weeks off after our LO is born.

@CurlyMom78 You may want to look into that. Married couples that work
at the same company are only entitled to 12 weeks FMLA total not 12
weeks each. My husband and I worked at the same company with my first
pregnancy and we could split the 12 weeks between us but not each take
12 weeks. It's a sucky rule.

A husband and wife who are eligible for FMLA leave and are employed
by the same covered employer may be limited to a combined total of 12
weeks of leave during any 12-month period if the leave is taken for
birth of the employee's son or daughter or to care for the child after
birth or for placement of a son or daughter with the employee for
adoption or foster care or to care for the child after placement, or to
care for the employee's parent with a serious health condition. See Limitation for Spouses Working for the Same Employer for more information.

mlindzz · March 2015

I'm from MB Canada, and I believe generally maternity leave is 50 wks. The government generally pays a good portion to match your wage, roughly 60-70%. I also have an awesome employer who is blessing us with a top up while I'm away. Very happy and thankful.

firsttimer86 · March 2015

I've been at .y job for two months so far so I won't get paid

which sucks Idk if I'm even gonna go back so whatever.

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