Maternity Leave

[coffeebuzzedliz]

So what are everyones plans for maternity leave, how long are you going to take off and are you getting an assistance through the state or work to get some money? Anyone had/having a baby in CA and know how the maternity disability and family medical leave act work?

[jenkaye21]

In MD, the FMLA law entitles workers (at companies of a certain size, at least) to 12 weeks off or the birth of a child.  This includes fathers!! No pay, though, unfortunately.  I am planning to work right up to my due date as I always have.
My company pays 100% for 6 weeks of maternity leave (thru a "sick bank", which I pay into).  Since I'm a teacher, I would go back with 2-3 weeks of school left, depending on when baby actually arrives and how many snow days we get. :)  I am hoping to use FMLA to take this time off without pay if I can possiby afford it. I am saving for it now, but you know how that goes.... get some $$ saved, then something always comes up!! If I DO have to go back to work, it will be short-term, then I'll still have the whole summer off w/ the baby.  I can't wait!!!  It will be the most time i've got to be home with any of my babies.

[coffeebuzzedliz]

So FMLA is not a way of getting paid it just ensures you get your job back?? I know there is pregnancy disability leave and that is 6 weeks so I will definatly being taking advantage of that! I have short term disability through work which will cover 7 working days. and I will have accumulated some paid time off, but probably only 2 weeks or so. Have you heard of CFRA??
I am filling out the FMLA with my company soon, and it asks me to include the time I expect to be out so that will get some stuff in writing. Luckily my work is supportive and want me coming back!!
I am trying to see how long I can be out and not have it be too much. I really want 8 weeks but I want to see if I can push it to 9.

[Jennifer330]

I'm in Illinois so it will be different. IL's FMLA is 12 weeks (job protection, not pay- like Jennie said above). My company has an office in Washington DC also which has 16 weeks FMLA leave so they honor the 16weeks for us too!

I get paid short term disability (60% of pay) and my company makes up the difference so I'm paid 100% for 6 weeks. We can take vacation time to extend the pay but not the actual time off. (16 weeks is the max).

The FMLA starts on either the day the doctor takes me out of work or I have the baby. If for some reason the doctor takes me out of work early I still get paid short term disability (60%) and still get my full 6 weeks paid once the baby is born (100%). I'm going to try to work as long as I can though to have more time off when the baby is born.

I'd suggest talking with your HR department. Mine was so helpful and supportive and they laid out all the options for me. Hope this helps!

[Jennie1211]

I work in HR and also happen to live in CA. I've already been working with our FMLA specialist. She has advised me get the FMLA paperwork completed by my doctor first. She told me to bring in my company's form but she said that most hospitals have their own form they use and then give it to HR (or maybe they send it--not sure). FMLA = job protection; it doesn't get you paid :) Then, once this has been approved, I can submit for SDI coverage, which also has to be discussed and approved by my doctor. This paperwork will also be submitted to HR. I was told I could take six weeks off for a vaginal birth under SDI (eight weeks is alloted if you have a C-Section--you could also use some of it before you deliver if you are ordered on bed rest,etc) and then take another six weeks off using PFL (paid family leave) when the SDI runs out. I was told I could supplement my leave credits to make up for what SDI and PFL will not cover. (I think PFL will cover about 55% of your salary--I forget about SDI). After that, I plan to use another month of leave credits to stay home since that's all I'll have and then transition to going back to work part-time for as long as they will let me.

It was highly recommended to me that I document my "plan" in writing and get my supervisor to sign it instead of having a casual conversation about it and just expecting that things would work out. That kind of sums it up; I would recommend making an appointment with your company's FMLA specialist soon and having him/her go over all of this with you in detail because there is A LOT of paperwork/stuff to read and it gets confusing unless you are really able to sit with someone who knows how it all works. Hope this helps a little (but maybe I confused you more :)