USA Maternity leave

[LauraB78]

I wanted to use the new poll feature but I didn't think it will work for this question. =(   I  think the answers will vary too much!


What state do you live in and what are your maternity leave benefits? How long are you allowed? Is it paid, how long unpaid, can you collect short term disbility or not, etc?

[LauraB78]

I honestly can't afford to w/ all my bills. It's already so hard on me.. It's JUST me so I already struggle to get by.. I will figure something out..

Kazwel, Aren't you in MA? Have you looked into Masshealth?

[kazwel]

I think we are going to move to Canada just for the Maternity benifits!!!!!  You guys are really lucky,

to LauraB
Can you pay ahead for the weeks that you will be out on maternity leave??  for the last few months i paid double benefits out of my paycheck to cover the 12 weeks i will be out.
But little do they know i'm NOT going back.  But after my 12 weeks are up i'm going to have to pay Cobra which will be really expensive but it's worth it to stay at home.

[evthing4reason]

I'm in canada too, so i get my full year plus i am going on sick leave now for 15 weeks before the baby due. at 55%. . I think that the USA really needs to look at maternity leave. Here we can also split out year off with the father if we want. Are any of the presidentail candiates saying anything on maternity leave in thier platforms?

[lilpixie]

All my time off is unpaid : ( It really makes me angry because I have been at my job for nearly 6 years but have always been kept as part time (30-37 hours a week) So at best they will hold my job for me 6-8 weeks depending on what my doc says I need.  Thankfully My husband has great insurance so we dont have to worry about that end of it.  I've been saving since we started ttc so we wont come up short on money while im off. Im looking into MI maternity laws because I really wanted to take 12 weeks off when shes born because I plan to breastfeed and wanted to be able to get a good routine and supply before returning to work.

[amy0013]

Jules - I am also a teacher in IL...that's awesome your district has an 8 or 10 week policy!  We wanted to time our 2nd pregnancy exactly how you did (we had the same spring break baby 2.5 years ago).  We just weren't as lucky this time around...still TTC and hoping for the best possible timing.  :)

[Jules31981]

I am also a teacher.  In IL or my schooll at least we get8 weeks for natural birth and 10 weeks for a c section.  I actually lucked out the baby is due right after spring break so i have that off and then it works our to be just around  2 months of school left so i dont have to go back till next year!

[durhamjk1]

I am a teacher and I only get to use the sick days that I have accumulated - luckily I have 35 saved up - and on top of it the school district that I work for is flexible and lets you take off as much time as you have sick leave (some only let 6 weeks after you have the baby).  I am due 12/6 - so starting the week of thanksgiving I am off - (we have a break than anyways).  I am using 28 sick days and getting almost 9 weeks off (with breaks and holidays).  So I guess that is a good thing.  I am not using all of my sick leave, b/c I want to save some for emergencies, if Landen gets sick or something.  I also get snow days and they don't count against me.  The best thing in my situation would be to have had the baby in the summer time, but I didn't plan that out.  We didn't think we would get pregnant so easily (doctors said we would both have trouble concieving and chances would be slim that we do), but we concieved after only one cycle of trying - so Landen is our miracle baby and we aren't complaining about the timing.

[Megz101]

I live in Canada and I get a year off.  I get 55% of my wage and full benefits.  

[LauraB78]

(or a comparable one..)


OOPS.. sorry for all the typo's. I'm tired and freezing! =P

[LauraB78]

No, no law like that in the USA.. Having a baby is a CHOICE, not a medical "problem" that employers are responsible for.. The only law is to guarantee the employee giving birth that their job (or a comarable one) will be available oince they return to work after 6 weeks. It varies (the length of time of leave) But typically emplyers only have to hold aposition for you to return to for 6-10 weeks..

Nope, we pay for our insurance, LONG confusing story, but we have a "cafeteria" plan. Annually, my company contrubutes 7K toward your benefits, but the family plan is MUCH more than that and they deduct it weekly from my check.. NO check (maternity leave) means I am responsible to come up w. that $$ while I am on leave.. It's a joke..

I wish there was something we could do.. It totally s u c k s!

[johannaviles]

Here its a law, you cant go back to work before those 12 weeks, dont you have a law in the usa?

[amy0013]

Yes, it does seem USA benefits B I T E!  I'm just like sweetangel...I only get paid for the sick days I've accumulated.  I think legally they HAVE to give six weeks...but they only have to pay me for days I had already earned.  

Good luck to you!

[sweetangel7]

Laura...I am in the same boat as you but I have been with my employer for 4 years so I have 5 weeks of sick time saved up.  Your insurance seems rather expensive!  Maybe I am misunderstanding...Are you having to pay what you would normally pay OR are you responsible for the full premium IF you don't work?

Anyways, I know it *****...hang in there!

[LauraB78]

Thanks for participating!

Seems everyone OUTSIDE the US gets great maternity leave benefits..

I get nothing. The ONLY "benefit" is to save any & all vacation time (thank goodness I am due in January when our time replenishes b.c otherwise, I wouldn't even get 1 paid day as I am out of sick and vacation time) and use that. However I am responsible to pay my insurance premiums while I am out (approx $200.00 per week). I am so angry with my employer as they have been total a s s e s!!

I am trying to find a way to get SOMETHING so when my son is born I can stay home., We CAN take UP TO 12 weeks, but it is all UNPAID.. Ugh

[johannaviles]

I live outside the us,ao it may no apply.  Still, Im answering!

We get 12 weeks 100% fully paid. If you have a salaried position here also, and you get disabeled, you get all your time and plus you get paid!