maternity leave benefits?

[devo55]

I'm now about halfway to having my first baby, and I'm finding that maternity leave benefits information is incredibly confusing. I have an appointment with the maternity benefits counselor in the HR department where I work next Tuesday, but I honestly am not even sure I understand enough to ask the right questions and make sure I make good decisions about when and how long to take off of work.

I'm really lucky in that I have an incredibly flexible job that will allow me to work from home part of the time even after I go back to work, and my husband is in the same situation. So we're planning to organize something like half-day childcare by someone else for maybe 3-4 days each week (likely a nanny or nanny-share situation), and then the rest of the time it'll be one of us taking care of the baby.

I'd love to hear any advice you more experienced working moms have about maternity leave options! Oh, and I live in the USA. Thanks!

[devo55]

Thanks for your replies. I guess I'll find out what I'm entitled to in my meeting tomorrow. I do live in California, but I work for one of the state Universities, and they don't pay into the state disability plan (if I understand correctly). Instead, they have their own.

So I'll have some paid leave - I'm sure of that. I'm hoping my maternity leave works like mamom15's, and I *think* it does. But like I said, the written explanation of the benefits is extremely confusing!

[mamom15]

Hi, I plan to have this conversation with Leave and benefits department later this week.  Even thou I work for a health care co this is how I believe my co works.  I have short term disability so the 1st 3 days I have to go on Paid Time Off, starting day 4 I start on Employee sick leave for 2 weeks.  AFter which my short term disability kicks in (if natural 6 weeks, c-section 8 weeks) sort term I get paid 60%.  Th ebalance 8 weeks (if natuaral)  I go on FMLA , so without pay.  FMLA is a Federal law so you should be entitled to it if you have worked over a year at your current company , it is without pay    

[oceanv]

i can't even imagine going back to work at 6 OR 8 weeks at that point i was in a sleep deprived coma!!! i just want to say i feel for you gals,
j

[alikat1205]

I got 6 weeks no pay.

[pertykitty]

when i worked i was off 8 weeks with disability pay my work didnt have an option.  i dont know if that is just in california or not.  you are given 6 with a vag birth.  those weeks go by way too fast!

[melimeli]

I am a teacher.. I can take up to a year off for the birth of a child but ALL of it is unpaid 100% they will continue my insurance though.  The only way I could get paid is to use up the 6 days of sick leave I have left... goo dluck

[AnnieBrooke]

Sounds like you have the perfect job.  My guess is that your company has a pretty standard set of parameters for maternity leave, in other words, they will tell you what new parents in your company get, and that's that (unless, of course, they do something in defiance of worker-protection laws, in which case that's not that).  There is a lot of variation from company to company, including how long you have to work there in order to qualify for benefits and whether they offer longer leave if you take it unpaid.  Just listen to what they say and take the booklet they have and see how it fits with your plan.