When are you starting your maternity leave?

aframe77 · August 2016

I stand corrected:) I should have mentioned it can vary depending on district/state. That's awesome your district compensates holiday leave as well as 60 days! My district allows for 6 weeks (for a vaginal birth) and I think a total of 18 weeks unpaid. if you choose to take it. Your bargaining team rocks!

BabyRobbinsAdventure · August 2016

I get 6-9 weeks depending on vaginal or c-section starting from the day baby is born. I'm going to extend mine using my sick bank to 10 weeks.

Going to try to work until winter break (baby is due 5 days after our break begins, so hoping she stays in there so I don't go into labor in the classroom!). I really can't take any days before that unless there is a medical issue that requires me to stop work early.

And I'm also in the "maternity leave starts even when school is not in session" boat, so that's no fun. I suppose the positive is that I don't need to write lesson plans for those weeks!

ashleygorokhovsky · August 2016

I'm lucky to be in CA. They allow for up to 4 weeks before birth and 6-8 after (depending on csection or vaginal). After this, there are 12 weeks of family bonding time. Due to my tenure at my (awesome) company I can get 16 weeks of 100% pay STD followed by 9 of 70% pay. I can also use sick time, floating, or vacation time and I've accrued a ton. I feel fortunate after reading a lot of your posts

im planning on working until mid December (dd 12/26) and then staying out for 20 weeks or so afterwards.

Kbchavez23 · August 2016

I get 17 1/2 weeks. I plan on taking just 2 weeks before and the rest after. We will see...I'm so miserable.

thedaint87 · August 2016

@aframe77 @MaggieG183 It seems like policies are so different even for districts that are right next door to each other! My district doesn't count holidays, but I know of some that do.

They also host a workshop for expecting parents to go over these policies because there are so many little details to remember. DH and I are attending this week so we can both hear all the information and figure out exactly what pay and benefits will look like while I'm out. It's so annoying that we have to figure out all of these crazy rules while also having a new baby to prepare for and take care of! Maternity/paternity leave should be so much simpler than this!

ErikandAfton · August 2016

@thedaint87 I am so jealous you have a workshop that will go over everything! My district's HR person has pretty much told me that I have to give her dates and have all the forms signed by my administration before she will even meet with me to discuss what leave I actually have! It's crazy.

I am thankful though that our district is one that doesn't count the holidays so that will help some.

thedaint87 · August 2016

@ErikandAfton I'm really glad too! I can read up online, but hearing it all will be so helpful and there should be a chance to ask questions as well. And if I don't understand, hopefully DH will get it! Hopefully you get that meeting soon. You need to be able to plan!

Counting holidays is so ridiculous. I mean, I couldn't come in even if I wanted to! Why would you count that against me?

jenlynne0624 · August 2016

Nov. 30 I am done at my job. I'm only apart time so there is no maternity leave, so I am just quitting. I'm due Dec 6 but measuring a few days early, so Nov 30 was a nice clean date, and worked better for my employer to stop at the end of a month instead of starting up a new month and quitting then.

Amecsey · August 2016

Being off earlier than the babies EDD sounds so nice, since I already feel like a stuffed sausage ready to explode.

My doctor has mentally prepared me that I may go on bed rest, so I am kind of expecting it anyways. But we will see. If I don't end up needing bed rest, I may take off after Thanksgiving anyways!

ErikandAfton · August 2016

California Mom's or anyone else who gets 4 weeks before are you taking all of it? If I do it would start in the middle of Thanksgiving break. My due date is Dec 21st the day our winter break starts. Dh and I think I should stay until at least the 7th. I don't want to leave my kids with a sub for finals so it's going to depend on if the principal let's me give my finals early.

washyourhandsplease · August 2016

I've never made it to my due date with any of my pregnancies. But this pregnancy is going really well. So if I make it close to my due date, I will probably work from home around my 38th week. Then once baby arrives, I will take 12 weeks of maternity leave.

mattanda2011 · August 2016

Those of you who are teachers or work at schools please please check your state laws. I had to fight tooth and nail with my last pregnancy to get the time off that I really deserved. Most states FMLA states that it is "working days" that means that the two weeks of Christmas break does should not count as FMLA. Granted this does nothing for the actually getting paid part, but if you are already taking it as un-paid and you want to fight for all the time you can, this is an important distinction. This argument does not work for things like a Monday holiday because the often count FMLA by weeks, but if the entire week is considered "not a work week" it should not count towards your FMLA. Now if your school/company etc. give you a paid leave for say 6 weeks, they can include non working weeks in that because that is a company policy. I can tell you more if you need info because I had a labor laws lawyer involved with my school and my last pregnancy!

That being said, I work at a school and typically work one month during the summer (administration) and have one month off - they are letting me transfer that to my maternity leave and work all summer. Kinda a bummer, but it means more time off with baby. I am planning to stop working at Thanksgiving and then coming back after spring break. Baby isn't due until Dec 10, but I had baby #1 at 37 weeks and #2 at 38 weeks, so we will see how it goes this time.

Lisa3379 · August 2016

ErikandAfton said:

California Mom's or anyone else who gets 4 weeks before are you taking all of it? If I do it would start in the middle of Thanksgiving break. My due date is Dec 21st the day our winter break starts. Dh and I think I should stay until at least the 7th. I don't want to leave my kids with a sub for finals so it's going to depend on if the principal let's me give my finals early.

My due date is Dec 7, so I really didn't have a choice to stick around for finals or not. My last day is the day before Thanksgiving break (Nov 18), so I'm missing 2 weeks of instruction, one week of final review, and then finals week, which sucks, but oh well.

Are you worried about a sub administering the final, or not being around to help your kids prepare for the final? I told them that I'll be available through email up until their final, and that I'd keep posting review materials, practice tests, etc on my website. Hopefully that works out ok.

That would be awesome if you could give your final early, I don't see why that would be an issue. I give finals early 2nd semester because sometimes kids need to know if they're going to graduate at least a couple days before actual graduation day. Good luck!

Kbchavez23 · August 2016

ErikandAfton said:

California Mom's or anyone else who gets 4 weeks before are you taking all of it? If I do it would start in the middle of Thanksgiving break. My due date is Dec 21st the day our winter break starts. Dh and I think I should stay until at least the 7th. I don't want to leave my kids with a sub for finals so it's going to depend on if the principal let's me give my finals early.

I'm not a teacher, but a CA mom. I am only taking 2 weeks off before, so my last day will be 11/18, I'm due 12/4. I really want to take the 4 weeks but financially is unrealistic.

ABJU1109 · August 2016

I have the right to take up to 12 weeks unpaid time off. I will have some vacation time racked up by then, so I will have 2 weeks paid. The plan is to work until the baby comes, then take about 8 weeks off. My firm offered me a part time for after the baby, working 2-1/2 days from the office and the rest from home. Also, I get to stay on their insurance plan.. so I said heck yea! I do have a great boss though.

paulpaw · August 2016

I'm in NJ, we can start up to 4 weeks prior to due date with 66% pay through the state. I'm very tempted but will probably hang in there until December 1st.

capps42613 · August 2016

My boss has been allowing me to accrue comp time instead of being paid overtime for being on-call. So far I've accrued 2 weeks of comp time, so I'm at least going out mid-November (due 12/6). I'm a veterinary OR nurse and I'm on my feet all day long. I will get 6-8 weeks of 100% pay beginning 12/1. However, I've elected to stay out a full 12 weeks, meaning I will get paid 75% for those remaining weeks.

Kbchavez23 · August 2016

capps42613 said:

My boss has been allowing me to accrue comp time instead of being paid overtime for being on-call. So far I've accrued 2 weeks of comp time, so I'm at least going out mid-November (due 12/6). I'm a veterinary OR nurse and I'm on my feet all day long. I will get 6-8 weeks of 100% pay beginning 12/1. However, I've elected to stay out a full 12 weeks, meaning I will get paid 75% for those remaining weeks.

100% pay...that sounds so nice!

capps42613 · August 2016

@Kbchavez23 yes, I work for a university hospital and they have pretty good benefits. Although they just revised their maternity leave policy as of July 2016... It used to suck bc you had to use all of your PTO for leave to get paid.

djh513 · August 2016

I will be off 12 weeks total for maternity leave. Week 1 is sick time (from 2016 bank), weeks 2-7/9 (depending on type of delivery) are ST disability @ 100% pay, and weeks 7/9-12 will be unpaid. Thankfully, the timing will work out that I will be unpaid during the same time both DH and I will be receiving our 2016 annual bonuses, so we will not miss those paychecks and will adjust our budget accordingly. I will have 3.5 weeks of vacation in my 2017 bank and 1.5 weeks of sick time in my 2017 bank that I can tack on to the end of leave/ use throughout rest of 2017. Will decide when the time comes.

I am due 12/16/16. I still have approximately 2 weeks of vacation to use in 2016... I am taking the week of Thanksgiving off and randomly using the days after that until I go into labor.

DH will have approximately the last 2 weeks of December off with me, and then will more than likely work a flexible schedule for the next few months after that. (PT in the office, PT from home). Baby H will go to daycare full time at some point in March.

KatBH · August 2016

djh513 said:

I will be off 12 weeks total for maternity leave. Week 1 is sick time (from 2016 bank), weeks 2-7/9 (depending on type of delivery) are ST disability @ 100% pay, and weeks 7/9-12 will be unpaid. Thankfully, the timing will work out that I will be unpaid during the same time both DH and I will be receiving our 2016 annual bonuses, so we will not miss those paychecks and will adjust our budget accordingly. I will have 3.5 weeks of vacation in my 2017 bank and 1.5 weeks of sick time in my 2017 bank that I can tack on to the end of leave/ use throughout rest of 2017. Will decide when the time comes.
I am due 12/16/16. I still have approximately 2 weeks of vacation to use in 2016... I am taking the week of Thanksgiving off and randomly using the days after that until I go into labor.
DH will have approximately the last 2 weeks of December off with me, and then will more than likely work a flexible schedule for the next few months after that. (PT in the office, PT from home). Baby H will go to daycare full time at some point in March.

Incase you haven't already, I would confirm with your HR department on the bonus payout. I'll also be out around the time when our bonuses are typically distributed, but I won't receive mine until I'm back in the office. It will also be prorated for the time that I'm out on STD. Hopefully this isn't the case for you!

tinattt23 · August 2016

Woo hoo! Just talked to my boss and he and our HR talked it over (small company). They'll let me use the rest of this years PTO and front me next years so I can take off from whenever lil bubba comes until February 1st. And if I need any time off next year, my boss says I can just make up the time on a weekend (since I'll be out of PTO). I work from home, so I think 4-5 weeks should be plenty of time to adjust since I'll still have bubba at home with me.

One more unknown crossed of the list!

mommy_af · August 2016

I recently just watched a co-worker try and make it up until her due date in the office. The last week she ended up only staying about 2-3 hours a day. After that, I'm really tempted to start my leave a couple weeks early and have a slow, relaxed December. My company lets you take 6 weeks disability, then 12 weeks FMLA, so 18 weeks total (all unpaid, but you can use PTO). Also, December is an insane month in my office-- I work in fundraising for a nonprofit, so end of year gifts/tax deductions blow up all month. I've been thinking about taking off right after Thanksgiving, even though I'm not due until 12/19. This would also put pressure on my management to get a temp in to cover my role early enough for them to train before the December frenzy begins.

Kacie209 · October 2016

Another old post, for which I have probably already responded... but got more updated info.

My last day of work will be 11/17 (due 12/12). I took 11/18 off as vacation, as well as the week of Thanksgiving (I had days to use). I get 2 weeks paid under FMLA prior to my due date, which happens to be the Monday after Thanksgiving. My actual short-term (8 weeks paid), doesn't start until the day I deliver. So, if I go late... I can use sick pay I still have available (5 total days), for that time... since all of my vacation will have been used up by 11/17 - minus 5.33 hours that I got getting a new position in August.

I just have to call our short term area, which I am doing on Monday, to provide them this info and I should be good to go.

I just don't want to be here at work feeling miserable, since I don't know how I will feel. One of my friends, who just had her 4th in April, said that each of her kids were different. A couple of them, she could barely work a few weeks before she was due, and the other two... she felt fine. I do have the option of working from home, but not FT... so I may bring my laptop home during my time off to check emails, etc. However, I'll check with my manager when it gets closer if she feels that would be OK for me to do that, even just to catch up on emails, etc.

swhiddon33 · October 2016

I work for a private company willing to be very flexible with me. My initial plan was to take off starting 11/23 before an 11/28 scheduled c section and be out for 12 weeks using PTO divided over that time to be a percentage of my normal pay each check. However now we are just trying to keep Little Dude in for as long as possible. Basically I'm just winging it now and still plan to take 12 weeks once he arrives but it just may start sooner than expected! My pay may differ slightly too if I have to use some of the PTO to be out unexpectedly.

DH will take 4 weeks PTO and then 2 unpaid under FMLA. (He works for a bigger corporation).

mrsg2390 · October 2016

I'm leaving my job 11/23 and I'm due 12/2. The countdown is on!!

AbriannaO · October 2016

I am bringing this post alive again!

My company does not have a maternity policy. I am the first person to need this in it's 10-ish years of operation. Even our parent corporation does not have one for us to use as a reference. We are a VERY small company (9 employees), and the only thing our handbook indicates is that they do offer FMLA (luckily). Because the company is so small, they do not offer benefits such as short-term disability. I have been with the company since December 2015, and unless I have the baby 15 days early, will JUST be in the clear for FMLA with my 12/22 due date. Everyone has been aware of the pregnancy since the beginning, and we've occasionally discussed leave (and I've reiterated that I will be returning to work after having the baby), but now that I am 31 weeks, we need to start getting a policy in place. I will for sure be taking 6 weeks off, unless medically necessary to take longer due to a c-section or other health related issues. Because of the kind of work I do, many of my either daily, weekly, or monthly tasks can be done from home, so I will be working throughout my leave as it fits in the baby's schedule. So right now, I am trying to come up with a list of things that I will be open to doing from home so that my boss and I can come up with a plan to discuss with the owner of the company an appropriate compensation rate according to the amount of work I will be doing. I'll also be working up to when I go into labor. Luckily my work is more independent from my team, so I will not need to train anyone to do my tasks, nor will anyone be stuck should I all of a sudden need to leave mid-day to go to the hospital.

Not having a company policy in place right now is really stressing me out as I am a person that likes to plan. And until I know what kind of coverage and compensation I'll have, I feel at a loss of how to plan financially for this baby. My DH and I have been saving up hard core to cover a complete loss of my income for maternity leave (I am the breadmaker), but it makes me nervous to potentially liquidate our savings account should my work not offer anything (in spite of their constantly telling me how family oriented they are). DH will be taking off a week for sure (PTO), but will take 2 weeks (1 PTO, 1 unpaid) should I need to have a c-section.

bookworm8622 · October 2016

LandJ13 said:

I'm in NJ, we can start up to 4 weeks prior to due date with 66% pay through the state. I'm very tempted but will probably hang in there until December 1st.

@LandJ13 Thank you for posting this because I am also in NJ and only knew about the 6/8 weeks post delivery short term disability! I'm still hesitant to take the predelivery leave since the max weekly benefit allowed is $615. If it was 66% with no max I would definitely do it! But its good to know that if something happens at least there is something. I'll definitely be investing in private short term disability with the next pregnancy!

ErikandAfton · October 2016

Ugh. My plan is Dec 2nd. Principal is wanting my Para to get his sub credential which would be best however she thinks it's just as easy as applying where it is actually not. He must take the CBEST first. I'm so freaking confused.

Blockfour · October 2016

I plan to work as long as I can. My job doesn't provide sick leave or PTO. I'm going to be able to take short term disability which will pay for five weeks with partial pay. I plan on taking eight weeks off. I can take twelve but I just don't think we can afford that.

paulpaw · October 2016

@bookworm8622 Luckily I am able to make it work at the max if I take it untaxed. i also have 4 weeks of sick time banked so I will probably take 2 of the weeks at full pay. I have a secondary hospital insurance that will pay me a lump sum when I go in and a daily rate for every day I'm there. My work STD would pay the same as nj so I passed on that.

My logic is with our ages and our struggle to get pregnant and stay pregnant we are most likely one and done. I'm taking everything due to me. Unfortunately, Jersey cost of living is killer for the max. There doesn't seem to be any relief in sight with the new gas tax.

Also NJFLI offers an additional 12 weeks after your 6/8 for recovery for bonding. 6 of those are paid at the same 66% up to max. Im still trying to confirm job protection for the entire time paid (4 before plus 12 after) so YMMV.

bookworm8622 · October 2016

LandJ13 said:

@bookworm8622 Luckily I am able to make it work at the max if I take it untaxed. i also have 4 weeks of sick time banked so I will probably take 2 of the weeks at full pay. I have a secondary hospital insurance that will pay me a lump sum when I go in and a daily rate for every day I'm there. My work STD would pay the same as nj so I passed on that.

My logic is with our ages and our struggle to get pregnant and stay pregnant we are most likely one and done. I'm taking everything due to me. Unfortunately, Jersey cost of living is killer for the max. There doesn't seem to be any relief in sight with the new gas tax.

Also NJFLI offers an additional 12 weeks after your 6/8 for recovery for bonding. 6 of those are paid at the same 66% up to max. Im still trying to confirm job protection for the entire time paid (4 before plus 12 after) so YMMV.

This information is so helpful, thank you @LandJ13! I just found out I can work from home until I give birth, so my "when do I got on leave" question is now solved!

LoveBugBites · October 2016

I don't get a paid maternity leave but I'm not coming back to work after Thanksgiving break. I'm due December 1st, so Thanksgiving is one week before that.

MissLeighAndBabyG · November 2016

I'm screwed for maternity leave regarding savings and whatnot but my work won't put me on the schedule until 6 weeks post partum. So officially it starts Wednesday November 23rd.

Lauramc15 · November 2016

For those who only get 6 weeks paid like I do, anyone else planning on asking your dr for a note after your paid leave is up? That's the only way I can use more than 6 weeks of sick leave! I actually have 12 weeks worth but they cap you at 6, for a "normal" delivery. The rest is unpaid. Which we can't afford. So I'm thinking of talking to my dr and telling her I'm not ready, and hopefully getting a note. I don't think I'll ever be ready, but it depresses me to think about going back to work after 6 weeks. I don't think I'll even feel like a human again by then. Stupid men that write these unfair policies for women. Makes me so mad! I was even denied coming back part time.

sourlemon · November 2016

@Lauramc15 my doctor only writes the note for 6 weeks even for a c section so you may not get extra time that way. however, most companies allow you to take sick time to care for family members, so can you go about it that way?

ajstevenson · November 2016

The company would only have to allow her a maximum of 12 weeks time off if they have 50 or more employees within a 75 mile radius (FMLA legislation). However, the federal policy does not require employers to pay the employee during this time. Also, it runs concurrently with paid time off (if you're using vacation, sick, personal time etc.) and short term disability.

@Lauramc15 it's a shame you were turned down for part-time work upon your return. You might want to check with your HR team again. If they are required to offer FMLA leave, then there is the option to use it intermittently. This means that you can use the days as-needed over the course of 12 months and can be used in 1, 4, or 8 hour increments. So it may be possible to ask them to reconsider if you want to use your FMLA that way.

BabyRobbinsAdventure · November 2016

@Lauramc15 I asked my HR about it and they gave me paperwork to have OB fill out before baby is even born. My OB knows the importance of bonding and extended it a few weeks for me. Getting ducks in a row now is worth a shot!

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Lab Mom (x2): Sept/Oct 2014 Married: August 2015DS: Nov 2016 (36w)Baby H #2: July2018 (Team Pink!)

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Lab Mom (x2): Sept/Oct 2014
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