Yeah as an employee of the US federal government (no written maternity leave policy at all) I agree completely that maternity leave in the US sucks. I have little hope of any federal incentives for corporations if the federal government can't even provide the benefit for its own employees. On the up side, I have a generous sick and annual leave policy that I can save and use and a great boss that allows me to use my leave AND FLMA (unpaid) to make my maternity leave as long as I can.
It honestly baffles my mind that that USG has, literally, no maternity leave policy at all. The only benefit it offers employees is access to FMLA (providing you've met the longevity requirements).
DS: EDD, December 19th, 2014. Born, December 19th, 2014! DD: EDD, July 18th, 2016. Born, July 19th, 2016!
I'm taking 12 weeks. If this baby makes to the date of the scheduled C-Section, July 28, I'll be getting back to work toward the end of October. I'm planning on taking the week between Christmas and New Years off too.
Hey! Been lurking for a while and I think I'll actually reply to this one ! I'm super upset about mat leave timing. At my work, we get our raises in July if we earned them. I'm hoping LO holds out until mid July so we can score ourselves a few extra dollars an hour for when we comes back LOL
I'm a teacher as well, but my district doesn't seem as nice as others when it comes to maternity leave. We get 6 weeks paid, but to have it paid, you need to apply 6 weeks of sick days to that. If you don't, it's just 6 weeks unpaid. We also get 6 days of FMLA.
I'm due July 12th and 6 weeks would bring me right to the first day of school. There is NO way I'm dealing with the craziness of the beginning of the year and a tiny newborn at home. So I'm taking the first marking period (9 weeks) off unpaid. It's going to be financially difficult, but I'll never get that time back.
Here in Ireland we get 24 weeks maternity leave. You don't get paid from your job but there's a maternity benefit from the government! So I will be using my annual leave and the full maternity time off (If I don't get too bored). So I'll be gone from work the first week in June until the first week in January. If I last that long
Thats it.........packing my sh*t and getting out of the US.....
I am a nanny and don't get paid benefits, sick days, vacation days, or maternity. I am due 7/24, and they originally thought that I would come back 4 weeks later (I am also having a c-section). Those 4 weeks would have been unpaid. They felt that was enough time to recover, deal with my preschooler and newborn, and get back to my 10 hour days. HAHA! Instead, I am quitting. I have been with them for three years and want to make it easy on their kids, so I am sticking it out until the 3rd week of June, so I will be with them until the end of preschool year. Neither do well with change, and I would hate for them to have to try and adjust to a different nanny, and be nightmares for their preschool teacher. My c-section will be about a month after that (around 7/17). I am going to take four months off (which is what I had off for DD), and then I am going to start working for my husbands business to take some admin tasks off his hands, so he can focus on the money making tasks. My husband did say that he felt by two months, I should be learning the ropes of his business during my "down time", but DD will be out of preschool, so it will be non-stop for awhile. I pretty much laughed in his face.
I'm a teacher as well, but my district doesn't seem as nice as others when it comes to maternity leave. We get 6 weeks paid, but to have it paid, you need to apply 6 weeks of sick days to that. If you don't, it's just 6 weeks unpaid. We also get 6 days of FMLA.
I'm due July 12th and 6 weeks would bring me right to the first day of school. There is NO way I'm dealing with the craziness of the beginning of the year and a tiny newborn at home. So I'm taking the first marking period (9 weeks) off unpaid. It's going to be financially difficult, but I'll never get that time back.
I thought FMLA was 12 weeks for everyone... It is completely unpaid most places but I know that in several states (including NJ), you get some pay for the first 6 weeks through Family Leave Insurance, which I believe we pay into all the time.
Do you have to use your sick time during the summer? I'm confused. Maybe I'm not reading correctly... I'm exhausted.
@DominiqueU you are reading it correctly. I had to email my human resources person a few times to clarify and actually understand how crappy it is. I'm a full-year employee technically because I get paid over the summer. Maternity leave starts the day you deliver. So even though it's over the summer, it counts towards your 6 weeks. The FMLA is only 6 extra days on top of that 6 weeks. It's so crazy!
@jlmartinez517 That is terrible! I'm only paid 10 months, but I could choose a 12 month payment plan if I wanted. Technically, I don't get maternity leave where I can use sick time (usually 6-8 weeks) because it's during the summer, but apparently I can use accumulated sick time anyway. I do anticipate having to fight for it a little and maybe having to get a note from my doctor for September and part of October. Then I'll take FMLA.
I don't blame you for taking more time off. Even if it's unpaid, I think it's worth it.
Another teacher here..edd is July 24th and the last day of school is June 15th. I'll have that time off until the baby comes then my 6 weeks medical leave start. During those 6 weeks school starts and they will use sick days until the 6 week time period is over (only something like 8 sick days) then my 12 weeks start and I get 50% of my pay. They use the other 50% to pay the sub. I'll be going back the beginning of November most likely so I'll get the Thanksgiving break soon after and then Christmas break after that so I think it's a nice way to ease back into it. Timing is great as I get more time off because of summer and only use a few sick days instead of all of them! We tried to plan it this way (we were trying for a June baby), but we are totally happy with the timing and just happy to have gotten pregnant at all.
I'm allowed up to 12 weeks FMLA and 4 weeks parental leave, for a total of 16 weeks off, but what isn't covered by my sick and annual leave that I've banked over the past couple years would have to be unpaid. As of right now, assuming I don't have to take any time off before the baby gets here, I will be taking between 9 and 11 weeks off with the baby, depending on when I have my RCS. My first one had to be delivered 3 weeks early via emergency CS due to Pre-E, so I'm already preparing myself mentally for that possibility with this one. I'd really like to be back in the office by September 26 so that I have a week in the office to prepare before I hit the ground running with 4-H club meetings in October.
So there's this boy. He kinda stole my heart. He calls me "Mom"
I am super excited about the timing of ML because both the Olympics and Big Brother will be going on. Won't mind late night feedings nearly as much
Also glad that I'll only be missing 1 paid holiday. With DD2, I was off from Oct through Dec, which means I missed getting paid time off for Thanksgiving, Christmas and NY - Which is 5 of our 12 work holidays.
One thing that does suck is that DH and I work for the same company so we get a TOTAL of 12 weeks of FMLA. I plan on using it all, but there' s always a concern that if something major happens, we would have to split that time. DH is the VP of our company so I'm sure they'd work with us, but the policy is still crap.
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I was told that FMLA only applies if you've been at your place of employment for at least 12 months. It doesn't apply to me but my work has a company maternity leave policy of 4 months. I'm assuming it will be unpaid for the time my vacation and sick time doesn't cover.
I currently work at my aunt's print shop 3 days a week and deliver pizzas 3-4 nights a week. My plan was to stop working towards the end of May when my husband has to go out of state for AT/Pre-Deployment stuff (Due July 26th). I was going to take a few months off with the new baby and have him take out student loans next semester, but my aunt doesn't want to hire anyone long term and wants me to come back ASAP. UGH. I'm such a sucker for helping people so I'll probably get a sitter for my other two kids and work as long as possible until I deliver, then if my aunt will let me bring the baby in, I will go back to work 2-3 weeks after delivery like I did when I had my daughter. It sucked and I don't want to *pouts*. I know I'm lucky that the financial aspect won't be an issue, but looks like I'll be going back to work sooner rather than later.
Re: Maternity Leave timing
It honestly baffles my mind that that USG has, literally, no maternity leave policy at all. The only benefit it offers employees is access to FMLA (providing you've met the longevity requirements).
DS: EDD, December 19th, 2014. Born, December 19th, 2014!
DD: EDD, July 18th, 2016. Born, July 19th, 2016!
Baby #3: EDD, April 16th, 2016
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I'm due July 12th and 6 weeks would bring me right to the first day of school. There is NO way I'm dealing with the craziness of the beginning of the year and a tiny newborn at home. So I'm taking the first marking period (9 weeks) off unpaid. It's going to be financially difficult, but I'll never get that time back.
Instead, I am quitting. I have been with them for three years and want to make it easy on their kids, so I am sticking it out until the 3rd week of June, so I will be with them until the end of preschool year. Neither do well with change, and I would hate for them to have to try and adjust to a different nanny, and be nightmares for their preschool teacher. My c-section will be about a month after that (around 7/17). I am going to take four months off (which is what I had off for DD), and then I am going to start working for my husbands business to take some admin tasks off his hands, so he can focus on the money making tasks. My husband did say that he felt by two months, I should be learning the ropes of his business during my "down time", but DD will be out of preschool, so it will be non-stop for awhile. I pretty much laughed in his face.
Do you have to use your sick time during the summer? I'm confused. Maybe I'm not reading correctly... I'm exhausted.
I don't blame you for taking more time off. Even if it's unpaid, I think it's worth it.
So there's this boy. He kinda stole my heart. He calls me "Mom"
Voted "Mom of the Year" 2012 Sweetpea Mom Awards
Also glad that I'll only be missing 1 paid holiday. With DD2, I was off from Oct through Dec, which means I missed getting paid time off for Thanksgiving, Christmas and NY - Which is 5 of our 12 work holidays.
One thing that does suck is that DH and I work for the same company so we get a TOTAL of 12 weeks of FMLA. I plan on using it all, but there' s always a concern that if something major happens, we would have to split that time. DH is the VP of our company so I'm sure they'd work with us, but the policy is still crap.
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