Maternity Leave

brittnic86 · May 2016

For the moms who work, and are going back to work, how long are you taking? Paid or unpaid?

My work gives me 2 weeks paid. Between that, the rest of my vacation from this year, and all of my vacation from next year, with a few paid holidays thrown in there, I can take a maximum of 7 weeks paid. I work for a small company, so they aren't required to give me the 12 weeks unpaid family leave. Which who can afford to take 12 weeks unpaid?! I'm hoping I won't need bed rest, and that I can go as long as possible with these babies. I'm hoping to take 6 weeks, so that I will still have a week of vacation next year.

Seriously, the US sucks for mothers and families =(

KatBH · May 2016

I haven't spoken to HR at work yet, but I believe I'll get 8 weeks at 2/3 pay since I'm having a c section (through short term disability). I'm planning on taking the additional 4 weeks unpaid for a total of 12. I might throw in some extra paid vacation to extend it if I have any left over this year. I don't want to use up all of my 2017 vacation before the year even starts.

If if you do end up on bed rest, do you have any options for working remotely?

cgss11 · May 2016

I missed the cut off to sign up for short term disability by a month, so I'm taking 12 weeks unpaid. I can use sick days, and will probably use 2 weeks worth, so I can get at least one check, but don't want to totally delete them.

queenklau · May 2016

Thankfully my company just instituted a 12 weeks paid maternity leave, which I am stoked about! I will also save my vacation days this year and early next year to make it a full 4 months+.

cjt121413 · May 2016

My company does 6 weeks paid after 18 months of employment. When LO is born, I will have worked for the company for 15.5 months. I'm really hoping they give me the 6 weeks paid.

I also have STD, but I'm not sure how that works. I'll get 2/3 pay for I think 11 weeks.

I hope to figure out a way to do 12 weeks whether it's paid or not. But we'll see.

slartybartfast · May 2016

I've resolved to take a lot this time. It'll be a combo of working a few half days and from home, sick leave, annual leave (so, paid) and I think I may go through a bunch of my FMLA this time too (12 weeks unpaid). I get no paid maternity-specific leave. With all of these things combined, I'm looking to be mostly home for the first 6 months.

Last time I did 10 weeks and then went to part time with some teleworking but it wasn't enough. We had a lot of feeding drama when I was gone and it was too difficult. This time, I'm going to take all kinds of leave baby's first year.

allicat89 · May 2016

I'm a freelancer so I have no benefits at the company I work for. There is no paid time off, and since I'm not technically an employee of the company, I'm not guaranteed a job on my return if I take maternity leave. Thankfully, I have an incredible boss who is a working mother and who is so supportive of her female freelancers! We agreed that I will work until the week of Thanksgiving and then take the rest of December off. DH and I have been saving up money for maternity leave for a few years so that should cover my lost income. I will go back to work at 4 weeks, but I work remotely so I'm hoping that will make the transition easier. DH owns his own store about two minutes from our house, and I usually work down at his storefront so I suspect our child will spend a lot of his formative years with us in that office!

emisi · May 2016

I've literally been saving my vacation time and sick time since I got off maternity leave when my son was born (so, since June 2013) and I should have enough to do all 12 weeks paid this time. I only had 6 weeks paid last time, that sucked hardcore. I wish the US actually cared about families as much as we give lip service to loving families.

jenlynne0624 · May 2016

I'll be quitting my job when the baby gets here and staying home permanently I hope. Dh will work and make enough hopefully and I'll get a work at home job. This is what I'm hoping for. Mil currently watches my son when I work three days a week, but she has a bunch of Heath issues and there's no way she can watch two kids- one who would be almost three and then a six month old. She can't pick up my two year old now because of her back and heart condition. He used to use a step ladder to get into his bed for naps and then climb out after while she was baby sitting.

mattanda2011 · May 2016

I work at a school that gives us 6 weeks paid. Then on top of that I can use sick time, personal time, vacation time I should be able to get to 14 weeks paid at home. That will get me to spring break, and then I have about 8-10 more weeks of school until I will have summer break. Although I work summer since I am in administration I will have much more flexible hours and possibly even bring the baby with me.

Morgan400 · May 2016

We now get 12 weeks paid leave which I am very happy about. With ds it was 6 weeks and then you had to use your vacation. Our company also gives us 6 weeks vacation per year, so I could combine them and take 18 off now. However, I was ready to go back after 12 last time and I think it would be more beneficial to take random frequent vacation days throughout 2017 than to use them all up when baby is 12-18 weeks old.

brittnic86 · May 2016

That's great that you all seem to have solid plans in place. We definitely can't survive, especially with twins, on one income. We'd barely make our mortgage! I wish I could do my job from home, but unfortunately my job requires I actually be there. Oh well I guess, at least I get some paid time

ashleaf2018 · May 2016

I didn't like the job I was at when FI and I found out we were pregnant, and I wouldn't have qualified for FMLA there. It was really too far of a drive and not enough hours anyway, so I quit that job. I am planning on saving my refund check from school that I should get in August/September for the baby, and I am looking at getting a job closer to home. Those wages will also go into savings for us to have when baby is born.

FI works basically from 6a to 6p Monday through Thursday. That means he is off Friday through Sunday, and I'll be able to pick up a part time job on the weekend and stay home with baby through the week. I can do online and evening classes for school, and my grandmother has even offered to watch the baby for short periods of time, like if I have to be at class at 5:30 and FI doesn't get off til 6. FI's mom also has her own in home day care so while I would never rely on her or expect her to be free daycare for us, she is very supportive and I know if we made arrangements with her in advance, she would also look after baby.

gigemily09 · May 2016

I'm a teacher and we get no paid leave. Every school year we get 10 sick days and they roll over if you don't use them. So if you save up a bunch of days you can essentially take a paid maternity leave but then when you go back to work, if you have to take a day off then you get docked pay. I tried my hardest to get pregnant where I would have the baby during summer break, but it just didn't work out that way. I'll have about 25 days saved up, then the rest I'll just get docked pay. I would love to just be a stay at home mom... Maybe someday!

bailando.bebe · May 2016

I am Canadian and have 12 paid months for my current leave (at 55% of salary) which i'm so grateful for, but seeing as my LO is due right when my DD turns 12months old I'll not have worked and thus will have no mat leave this time around! I plan to still take 6-9months off though (unpaid) before starting a PhD program.

ashcakes921 · May 2016

I get nothing paid so I will probably only take 6 weeks. Once again I am pregnant during the open enrollment period for my benefits so my "preexisting condition" will disqualify me from short term disability. I have saved maybe a week of vacation. The rest I'll take a hit on. Luckily my DH just got a new job that sets us up better financially. Not enough for me to quit my job but so we don't have to stress as much. While we dont have 2 in daycare, we'll save up what we can to make my unpaid time easier

BenNSarah · May 2016

I get 6 weeks paid (8 if C/S) through LTD at my work but will definitely take 12 weeks total. My FMLA does offer 12 months of "parental leave" but it is unpaid and we can't afford that. I would love to take more but we just can't afford it.

sammyl1221 · May 2016

My company gives employees 6 weeks or 8 weeks w c section. We have 12 weeks with FMLA but I need to work and get that $$$. My husband plans to take two weeks after I go back to be with the baby so all together we will have 8 or 10 weeks with the baby.

bakerstreetboys · May 2016

I get a full year paid at 90% of my salary. After that I will decide whether or not to take some unpaid leave. Childcare for four kids isn't cheap so we'll have to figure out whether or not it's worth me taking a few months off unpaid.
I truly can't believe that the US doesn't have a similar parental leave program.

slartybartfast · May 2016

JessCL said:

I get a full year paid at 90% of my salary. After that I will decide whether or not to take some unpaid leave. Childcare for four kids isn't cheap so we'll have to figure out whether or not it's worth me taking a few months off unpaid.
I truly can't believe that the US doesn't have a similar parental leave program.

What's more is I feel like it's right around the corner but we will all just miss it with this pregnancy... Though I felt that way last pregnancy too...

bakerstreetboys · May 2016

slartybartfast said:

JessCL said:

I get a full year paid at 90% of my salary. After that I will decide whether or not to take some unpaid leave. Childcare for four kids isn't cheap so we'll have to figure out whether or not it's worth me taking a few months off unpaid.
I truly can't believe that the US doesn't have a similar parental leave program.

What's more is I feel like it's right around the corner but we will all just miss it with this pregnancy... Though I felt that way last pregnancy too...

Yeah that sucks because it should have happened a long time ago. There's been rumour that ours is going to be increased to 18 months.

penelope4612 · May 2016

Per HR I get 12 weeks off under FMLA. The company offers full pay for 8 weeks and then it's up to the department whether they will pay the additional 4 weeks. I'm pretty sure it is paid by our department but I haven't asked anyone yet as I still haven't told work I'm pregnant. Regardless I will be taking 12 weeks.

Kacie209 · May 2016

I have looked into it, but it's all so confusing. from what I understand.

I know we get 2 weeks paid actual maternity leave, but can consider some other time off a Short Term Disability (STD), which can be up to 26 weeks total. Since I have worked at my company for almost 15 years, I would get 100% of my pay during the STD time. I have been checking some gals out of office messages when I know they have gone on maternity leave, and most seem to be getting close to the 3 months (90 days) off. Since next year is my 15th year, I will get an extra week of vacation. I know you can use vacation time along with STD time, or they force you to use vacation time before STD. I was a supervisor once and dealt with this, but that was also MANY years ago.

According to our websites:
If you are pregnant, all or part of a pregnancy-related leave may be classified as a short-term disability leave. All other FMLA policy provisions apply to this leave.
STD benefits - Determination of pregnancy-related disability benefits, including the length of time benefits will be paid, is made in the same manner as other illness-related disabilities. Normally, you will be eligible for STD up to two weeks prior to the baby’s due date, as well as eight weeks of STD after the birth. The STD program (administered by The Hartford) may replace a percentage of pay (zero, 60, 80 or 100 percent) for approved disabilities for up to 26 weeks. STD may be paid or unpaid, depending on your length of service. See the Disability page for more information about eligibility and benefits.

So, with the 2 weeks under FMLA and up to 2 before and 8 after... I think that would be 12 weeks? IDK. I wish I understood it better.

So for this year, I still have about a week of time off to schedule and usually do end up saving it for the end of the year, and mainly in December to not work most of that month. With my EDD of 12/12, I may just take the week off before (as long as everything is going fine), just to use it up and then be off for the EDD.

I have friends that have taken maternity leave, but they have not been with the company for many years and things have changed since then.

sonomama14 · May 2016

With FMLA we can take 12 weeks off, not paid. Except I have short term disability, so I will get 6 weeks of pay at 60% of my normal pay rate. But it only kicks in 3 weeks post partum. So for the first 3 weeks I'm going to try to use all PTO. So in total I'll prob only be off 9/10 weeks.

DiFazette · May 2016

brittnic86 said:

That's great that you all seem to have solid plans in place. We definitely can't survive, especially with twins, on one income. We'd barely make our mortgage! I wish I could do my job from home, but unfortunately my job requires I actually be there. Oh well I guess, at least I get some paid time

@brittnic86 - I hear you so loud on this. I work for my in laws 3 days a week from home (their business is in a different state). They are a small company so don't need to offer good FMLA/STD benefits. I'm not worried about losing my job because they are my in laws, but twins really changes the plan. I was actually hoping to go to work full time, outside of the home about a year after having this baby because I miss feeling like part of a team, but with 3 kids, daycare is too much to think about right now ($3k +/mo) Any possibility of talking to your employer about a different position that would allow more work from home flexibility?

I'm super nervous because we have no income from me for months following birth (my part time salary is small compared to DH's but it still
pays for our mortgage and health insurance) , and I need to pay our health insurance while I'm out so I'll essentially owe work money those months. DS is in daycare 3 days/week when I work, but I'm going to try to work those 3 days with twins at home with me. I don't see it working, but I have to try at least for a little while. Thank God for savings accounts or else we'd be in deep shit.

revelatory7 · May 2016

I get 6 weeks paid and then 6 weeks unpaid (but can use paid vacation time). With my first baby, I went back to work approximately half time after 8-10 weeks, but it was partially so I could still get education benefits (yeah, I was completing a degree at the time... I started classes two weeks postpartum) -- I had a lot of issues with breastfeeding that left me emotionally drained, so everything was just incredibly stressful. This time around, I think I'm going to take the full 12 weeks, even if the last 6 are unpaid, and then ease back into work part-time.

I totally agree with you, the way the U.S. treats mothers is just awful -- with my first baby, I had to repeatedly drive between my doctor's office and company to drop off forms, only to find out they wouldn't give me any additional medical leave for another issue that had come up. I was crying on the phone to the HR absence officer and all she would say was, "Call your doctor" and my doctor would say, "Call your company." It was pretty sick all around.

Anyway, this is all to say -- do take off as much time, even if it's unpaid, as you can within your budget and job. So many unexpected things can happen after birth, that it just helps to have as much time as you can. I remember one of my mama friends told me, "Now is not the time to be saving money. Women always feel bad about spending money on themselves, but you need to, during this time, for your sanity and health."

karabearrr · May 2016

I work in real estate, and the company I work for does not offer maternity leave. Thankfully though, last year when I knew we wanted to start trying soon, I signed up for short term disability. They will pay me for three months leave, however, they only pay me for half of what my job normally would. It will be nice to get some sort of income, but I don't know if it will be enough to pay the bills.

Instead, I am thinking about coaching volleyball full time...that way I can have the baby in the mornings and the afternoon, and DH can watch the baby in the evenings when I have to coach.

penelope4612 · May 2016

@karabearrr - be sure to check out the fine print on your STD before taking any job. For some of them, if you're working at all, you're not eligible for benefits.

karabearrr · May 2016

@penelope4612Coaching volleyball is untaxed and paid under the table, so I'm not sure how they would find out about it, hehehe. I'll definitely have to call and ask!

DiFazette · May 2016

@karabearrr - be careful what you disclose and to whom. If someone reports you for taking STD while working under the table you will be in a world of regret.

brittnic86 · May 2016

slartybartfast said:

Right?! Seems to be things in the works, but we will all miss it =(

@DiFazette I mean, a REALLY small company. There are 16 employees at my work. I work in the office/accounting, and there's only one other person in my department. I have to be here because I answer the phone, and have to bill out all of the invoices to our customers, so I have to be here =(

The childcare thing is also a joke. That's one of the biggest reasons we waited to get pregnant. But when I really thought about it, we work such opposite schedules, that there are only three afternoons a week that we both will be at work. My youngest sister is in college, and works night security 3 days a week. So we're going to pay her like $300-$400 a month to watch the babies three afternoons a week.

princesslockness · May 2016

I have no idea what I am going to do. I will have about 17 days of Sick Leave and 4 Personal Days. School Districts don't have any maternity, at least in Idaho, so I will maybe take 2-3 weeks depending on if I can schedule an induction for 2 weeks before Christmas Break. That would let me be out for an entire month while still leaving me some time for the last minute problems. Maybe I can sign up for the Sick Leave Bank and get some days donated.

em01092 · May 2016

I haven't discussed it with my boss yet, but he offers paid maternity leave. I expect to be out 8-12 weeks, depending if I have a C section or not.

karmba · May 2016

I am very lucky and my company offers 16 weeks fully paid maternity leave. When I took the position 4 years ago it was understood by DH and I that I would stay with this company until we're done having kids.

jptrumptone · May 2016

Wow, I feel so lucky! My company offers 5 months (20 weeks) paid maternity leave. I'm also allowed to take the last 2 weeks and instead of being off full time, actually come back at half time for 4 weeks. So I'll take 18 weeks off full time and then go back to work half time for 4 weeks before returning to work full time. We don't know yet if LO will end up in a day care or with a SAHD.

mrsstarski86 · May 2016

I work from home for our own family business (just DH and I own it), so I don't technically get a leave. However, it's our downtime during the winter so work should be minimal.

For all you ladies with the subpar maternity leaves, I can definitely relate. My last job gave the mandatory FMLA leave of 12 weeks. But they first made you drain your vacation days and then they paid 60% for 6 weeks. Remainder was unpaid. The worst part about it wasn't even the pay, and I was grateful to have the 12 weeks, but coming back and having to leave for unexpected emergencies or doctor's visits kept me in the negative for months with PTO. I don't think I was able to accrue enough time for an actual vacation for over a year. It's unfortunate there aren't more policies or resources to help new moms out to spend more time with their LOs without draining the bank!

Zygodactyl · May 2016

Our company's leave policy SUCKS. 3 days paid, then you have to max out your vacation (max. 3 weeks) and sick leave (max. 1 week) before taking a maximum 6 weeks unpaid (if you don't qualify under FMLA; if you do, then you can take an additional 7 days to make up the 12 weeks; FMLA only allows for you to take off 12 weeks, but it's up to the company if you have to take all available leave as part of that 12 weeks).

They tell me they're improving the policy before the end of the year, but I wonder if 1) it will be soon enough to impact me, and 2) what the new policy will be.

Amdogger82 · May 2016

I am the director at a small non profit, and we get 12 weeks unpaid. I'm the first staff member to ever need ML, so I don't know how we're going to handle it. I have a few weeks PTO I can save, but it's kind of a hard situation since I am the director and we're so small (I don't want to sound like I have an inflated sense of importance, I just want to take some real maternity leave but not be completely out of the loop at my org). I'm thinking about 1 month completely off, the next month just attend a couple meetings and the board meeting, and then the third month or at 10 weeks come back part time, like 2-3 days a week. Second/third/fourth time mamas--is it totally crazy to think I could possibly bring my baby with me a day or two? Monday and Tuesdays are super mellow, just myself and one other person.