I get maternity leave, unpaid, but I have to take all of my vacation days before I can take it. Which would be really bad, because I'm a single mom and I would have to use up all my accrued leave...what if the baby has a doctor appointment? Or I do? Luckily the baby's due in the summer and I'm in education, so I shouldn't need it unless I get put on bed rest or something towards the end of the semester. These rules definitely aren't made for us.
I do not get paid maternity leave. I am taking 8 weeks off unpaid and am so sad already thinking about having to leave my tiny new baby to go back to work after only 8 weeks... :[
As I noted above, in the U.S., whether a company has to give you leave at all, paid or not, depends on the size of the company. Companies with fewer than 50 employees do not have to follow FMLA and give you any leave, unless you have a state law that says differently. There is no universal "right to maternity leave," paid or not, in the USA.
Yes, but they don't have to pay you for your leave. It depends on your profession and insurance.
not necessarily. just check with your jobs hr
In contrast, most other developed nations offer PAID time off. It can be as much as 16 months (Sweden, though several others also offer up to a year), and in some countries, fathers are allowed to take time off too.
The attached article is a couple years old but the overall situation hasn't changed much so it should give you a good overview of what you can expect in most developed countries.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/04/maternity-leave-laws-forbes-woman-wellbeing-pregnancy.html
Maternity leave laws vary dramatically depending on the country that you're in. American law is a lot less progressive in this area than Canada and most European nations. The short answer is that in the U.S., employers do not have to offer paid leave to expecting parents. Most don't. If you want paid time off, you're usually looking at using up sick days, short-term disability, family leave or vacation time -- assuming your job even offers those perks to begin with.
FMLA, the Family Medical Leave Act, allows for up to 12 weeks of UNPAID time off for births and adoptions. All that means is that if you work for a company that falls under FMLA regulation, you can take up to 3 months off without losing your job. However, FMLA does not apply to small companies with fewer than 50 employees. If you work for a small business, you're out of luck, legally speaking, but you might be working for a more flexible employer who can work something out anyway instead of bowing to rigid corporate policy.