Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

Trying to figure this out, and i keep hearing different things. What are we entitled to, and what do I ask for?

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

Do you work FT & have you been at your company for a year. Also how many people work for your company?

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

I do work full time, and was with my company for over 3 years. We just compelted a merger with a new company though, just a few months ago...so i guess i need to ask if they will credit me for the 3 years i was at the old company.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

Message edited 2/6/2007 12:21:31 PM.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

They should credit you for the time you worked for the acquired company. If your company employs over 50 employees, you are entitled to 12 weeks unpaid leave by law.

My old firm gave me 12 weeks paid for my first baby.
My new firm provides 14 weeks of paid maternity leave.

Check the handbook ... the policy may be posted.

Good luck!!

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

I am allowed to take as much time as I need and I get disability...unfortunately, my company carries the minimum state policy so I don't even get 1/2 pay...but I didn't think I got paid at all so this is better than I thought. I originally was only going to take 6 weeks, but I am leaning towards 8-10 now. I wanna hold my baby and spoil him/her a little longer.

eta-
you are legally "disabled" after giving birth which is why you cannot legally work for 6 weeks. In NY your employer has to carry disability for you.

Message edited 2/6/2007 12:44:58 PM.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

I get full pay for 9 weeks if I have a vaginal delivery and 11 weeks if I have a C-section. Anytime after that is unpaid.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

Here is what I found on babycenter.com:

Start by asking your company's human resources department. Under the FMLA, many employers are required by federal law to allow their employees (both men and women) 12 weeks of unpaid leave after the birth or adoption of a child. At the end of your leave, your employer must allow you to return to your job or a similar job with the same salary, benefits, working conditions, and seniority.

You are among the 60 percent of U.S. workers who are eligible if you meet both of the following conditions:
• You work for the federal government, a state or local government, or any company that has 50 or more employees working within 75 miles of your workplace.


• You've worked for your employer for at least 12 months and for at least 1,250 hours during the previous year (an average of 25 hours per week for 50 weeks).


There are a few exceptions: Your employer isn't required to keep your job open for you if you're in the highest-paid 10 percent of wage earners at your company and your employer can show that your absence would cause substantial economic harm to the organization.

Another exception is if you and your partner work for the same company. In this case, you're only entitled to a combined 12 weeks of parental leave between the two of you.

Even if you're not eligible under the FMLA, you may still be eligible for leave under your state's provisions, which are usually more generous than the FMLA, or under your company's family leave policy.

Your employer may require that all the paid leave you take (STD, vacation, sick leave) count toward the 12 weeks required by the FMLA. But some states allow you to take the full 12 weeks in addition to whatever paid leave you take. Individual employers may also allow this.

You can use your unpaid leave in any way you want during your pregnancy or during the year after your child is born. That means you can take it all at once — right after the birth or placement of your child, for example — or, as long as your employer agrees, you can spread it out over your child's first year by taking it in chunks or by reducing your normal weekly or daily work schedule.

If you're considering unpaid leave, think about how much time you can reasonably afford to take. Also think about whether your partner can take any time off and when it would be best for him or her to do that.

You and your partner may decide to take leave at the same time, but if you want to stretch out the time that at least one of you is home with the baby, consider overlapping your leaves, taking them consecutively, or spreading your time off over the year.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

If your employer doesn't offer a separate disability policy (like mine), you are entitled to the State policy which is a maximum of $170 a week for six weeks for a vaginal delivery.

That is entirely separate from FMLA, which entitles you to 12 total weeks off (including the time you are collecting disability) if you qualify.

I will probably have to take 4 months off because of the timing and childcare issues for the Summer for my older child, but my employer probably won't care.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

I get 2 weeks prior to birth and 12 weeks after...out of those 14 weeks....all but 4 are paid at 100%, the other 4 are paid at 80%

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

I'm lucky to be in NJ (for once)

I get 6-8 weeks paid at full salary for disability.

The remaining 6-4 weeks are Federal FMLA time (unpaid but I have 4 weeks vacation and 18 sick days I can apply if I choose to.)

Then I get an additional 12 weeks of NJ State Bonding time under my state FMLA.

So all in all I'll be out for 24 weeks!

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

I only get 12 weeks unpaid.

Does anyone know if I can claim disability? I'm very confused here.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

I get 2 weeks before the birth and 12 weeks after at 100% pay.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

Posted by waterspout4

I only get 12 weeks unpaid.

Does anyone know if I can claim disability? I'm very confused here.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

we get the 12 weeks by law
I am going to use all my vaction days
and they give you 2 day for having a baby WOW!!!
State disablity ( good ?? how do you apply for it once you are out (maybe your office is suposed to send in papers))
AND I have AFLAC for additona disabilty once the 6 weeks state runs out

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

Posted by waterspout4

I only get 12 weeks unpaid.

Does anyone know if I can claim disability? I'm very confused here.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

I only get the short term disablity which 6 weeks for vaginal birth and 8 weeks for c-section. I get a $170 a week and that is before taxes

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

FMLA and Short term disability go hand in hand.

i got 6 weeks for vaginal birth
8 weeks for c-section at 60% pay
You have to be with the company for more than 1 year or worked at least 1250 hours and more than 50 employees.

So when i went out on leave my STD kicked in so did FMLA. After my STD was over, I was still covered unpaid under FMLA. In CT we get 16 weeks FMLA coverage.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

I get 90 days at full pay. This is separate from the FMLA.

I have 20 sick days saved up so I will stop working 2-3 weeks before I am due. I commute to NYC and I am due in the end of August so I am not looking forward to the summer commute.

Depending how much time I use before the peanut comes I'll use about 1/2 my saved vacation days and 1/2 of the rest of my sick days after the 90 days of paid leave is over to extend it to about 4 months.

Message edited 2/6/2007 3:11:42 PM.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

What is the one year mark???

I will have been with my company 1 year in August but I'm not due till October.

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

We have a seperate Maternity policy so I get 13 weeks paid.

I can then take 12 weeks FMLA unpaid or I can take vacation/sick time

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

Re: Working Moms..How much time did you get for Maternity leave..paid and unpaid?

I beleive we get 6 weeks for vaginal and 8 weeks for C section then the rest can be FMLA which is a combination of vaction days or unpaid leave. So I'll be out for 12 weeks. I dont know if I can do anymore I've heard horror stories when moms take too much time off --alot of my firends have been terminated at will for stupid reasons and I still dont turst the so called protection we have at work adn I am in HR.