Post by uclameghan on Jan 20, 2015 18:36:32 GMT -5
Trying to get things thought through with insurance, FSA, and maternity leave, so I called HR today. I am so pissed about our maternity leave benefits, I could shank a bitch.
I was persuaded by HR to pay for STD insurance when I came into the school district and have been dutifully paying monthly. I distinctly remember the HR lady explaining I could use both my sick leave AND the STD to cover my 12 weeks per FMLA, so it was well worth it. I was pretty far from TTC at that point so I signed the damn thing and went on my merry way.
Yup, nope. I only get 6 weeks with a vaginal delivery or 8 with a C-section and have to choose either sick days (100% compensation) or STD (66 and 2/3% compensation). I can take time off in addition to either the 6- or 8-week mark, but it MUST be unpaid even if I have sick days left.
That is, of course, unless the baby or I am sick and I have a doctors note backing me up.
Post by charliefox on Jan 20, 2015 18:46:48 GMT -5
Unfortunately, I think that's pretty typical. At least you know now and can try to get your ducks in order in terms of child care, or saving up for time off if necessary.
I was feeling sad about not buying into the short term disability. This makes me feel better. Sucks for you though-- I'd send an angry email to the lady that signed you up. Even though it won't accomplish anything.
I don't have 6, 8, or 12 weeks worth of leave saved up, unfortunately
If you had 12 weeks saved up, would you be able to use it?
ETA: I went back and reread your original. That's some bullshit. I think I can use all my leave up. If the school system approved me being out a year and I had that much leave, I could use it.
Post by britbratjf on Jan 20, 2015 19:07:48 GMT -5
I got paid 12 weeks because I combined my STD (same as yours, 60% pay for 8 weeks for my csection) and then was able to use sick/vacation time I had saved for the rest. That's bull they don't let you use sick time as well if you have it. And even more bull that the HR person misinformed you about STD.
The maternity leave policies you guys in the USA have make me feel all stabby for you. I don't know what I would do. I feel sorry for myself for only getting 6 mo. (which is short by Canadian standards).
The maternity leave policies you guys in the USA have make me feel all stabby for you. I don't know what I would do. I feel sorry for myself for only getting 6 mo. (which is short by Canadian standards).
The maternity leave policies you guys in the USA have make me feel all stabby for you. I don't know what I would do. I feel sorry for myself for only getting 6 mo. (which is short by Canadian standards).
Whoa why you only getting 6 months?
There's a few professions (mine included) that are actually exempt from the Employment Standards Act. In those cases, it all depends on what you contract for. It's really okay tho. I'm the main breadwinner in the family so we couldn't really afford to go without my full salary for much more than that. With our DD my DH took off a couple of months (as he is able to use the other 6mo. that ESA allows). It was really great for him to have that time with her. I'm hoping he chooses to do the same again.
yea.... first world problems hey, I'm here whining about only having 6 mo. at home. Sorry folks. I welcome all flaming.
I get 12 weeks full paid through STD I get to carry over 1 week vacation to use after but I must use all my sick time and I do intend to use some vacation time over this summer before # 2 gets here
Post by disneygirl14 on Jan 20, 2015 19:37:34 GMT -5
That's really shitty that you've been paying for STD and it's not going to pay off. We don't get paid maternity leave at my school either. Next year I'll have enough sick time to take 6 weeks off, but my take FMLA and hope I don't have to take all 12 weeks. The way our calendar falls I wouldn't be going back until December 3rd which feels like too long IMO because it'll only be my second year teaching (I was the aide in my classroom for 3 years and was just hired as the full time teacher for this school year).
You all make me so jealous with your maternity leave talk! I know my choice to have my own business and all but it just sounds so dreamy! OP I am sorry your HR person screwed you up though. That shit is ridiculous!!
It totally sucks. We have a similar set up, although we can use our sick/vacation time after our STD ends. With DD I only took 6 weeks of leave because I screwed up my STD when I was hired at UCLA, didn't make that mistake again. I think we get 70% pay with ours, which actually worked out ok because it isn't taxed so it ended up being pretty close to what my normal take home was anyway. I will have STD coverage two weeks before my due date and 6/8weeks after delivery. I have a 7 day wait period, which means I need to use 5 sick or vacation days at the start before the STD payments kick in. We are planning ahead and I do have some vacation time stockpiled. We decided to take the remaining unpaid. I just wanted to have a longer time at home. All together it will be about 15 weeks. In CA you can take almost 6 months off, protected leave. The unpaid leave sucks, but I am fortunate that the UC continues to pay my benefits even during unpaid leave. It is something I would recommend all parents check out before taking leave.
Post by cruisegirl28 on Jan 20, 2015 19:53:45 GMT -5
My last job I got 12 weeks at 60% pay. Well that company got sold halfway through my pregnancy. I got hired by the company that bought it, and I negotiated the same thing for my last leave.
This time I will have to go through their STD plan. 6 weeks at 60% pay. I think I will take 6 weeks unpaid too, which sucks. I have to take money out of savings.
I only have 3 weeks vaca right now, and in using 6 days for a vacation in April, plus I usually need to take days off in the summer for DD's daycare being closed.
Yep, It's shitty. We're one of the wealthiest nations and yet provide one of the crappiest maternity leave benefits. Off my soapbox now. I'll get 12 weeks unpaid under the FMLA.
I second everyone's opinion about the crappy policies the U.S. currently has. It's a shame we are so far behind the rest of the world in supporting our moms.
While it's a far cry from what Canada has, I am thankful every day that I work for a European owned company. There is definitely that influence as we get 13wks full pay off with the option of taking another 13wks unpaid. I wish more companies would step up and take a stand!
My STD insurance will pay out about 3 pay checks worth of income (6 weeks). By the time September rolls around I will have at least 80 hours (2 weeks) of paid time off. So that's 8 weeks right there. My paid time off is "flexible time off" so my sick and vacation come out of the same pool, so I can use all of it. We also have an additional disability/hospitalization plan that pays out $800/day for each day in the hospital past the first 24 hours. The cool thing is it pays $800/dyt for me and $800/day for baby. So if we have complications of any kind, we could end up coming out ahead. If it's an easy-breezy birth, we'll be lucky if we get the $800. Although I'd rather not get the $800 if it meant all went well We're also going to save over the next several months.
That sucks!!! I'm in Canada but I'm self employed so no paid mat leave for me I'm going to try to take 12 weeks off but may need to go back part time after 8.
pineapplesmoothie it's like that here at our local votech nursing program. You get 1 day recovery for a vaginal delivery and 2 days recovery for a csection. Anymore than that and you have to basically give up your spot in the class to someone who wants to be there and learn... That has kept me from going for about 4 years in a row now...I keep getting knocked up. Lol.
OP- I thought all companies had to give you 12 weeks job protected leave for fmla? They don't have to pay you but they can't fire you for taking up to 12 weeks off. It's different than std and you should be able to get both. I would double check and maybe check with state laws and whatnot...
I'm a freelancer and work part time for an agency, so I won't be getting any paid time off.
I'm not 100% sure what I'll be doing after the babe gets here - the plan had been to keep freelancing and become a SAHM (doing projects in the evening once H is home), but I really love the agency I started working for.
Here's hoping I can find a decent part-time daycare, and that they don't fire me when I take time off.
I do hair and get no paid leave at all. I have no idea when I am going to go back. The 2 girls that my clients would have felt comfortable going too quit at the end of the year. I have 2 little old lady's who hate how everyone else does their hair, so I will probably go back very very soon to do at least them. I need to let go of the guilt but I doubt that's gonna happen.
Post by SubtleGrandeur on Jan 21, 2015 8:43:38 GMT -5
I don't get any separate maternity leave and will be using a combo of sick/vacation time I've been saving up since I had DD 2.5 years ago! Right now, it's looking like I'll be able to take close to 11 weeks off. I really wish we were on par with the rest of the world...
I've never felt so screwed over in my life than when I took maternity leave with DS. I had STD that covered 8 weeks for a csection, but oh wait, that's after a 14 day lock out period. So yeah, only 6 weeks of 60% pay. I didn't have any PTO accrued, so I don't know if I could have used any PTO to cover that gap. But when I came back to work, I owed the company for my health ins premiums while I was out (thanks for not telling me that BEFORE I left on maternity leave!). I took the full 12 weeks of FMLA and didn't get a full paycheck for another 2 months because they were taking out extra for the insurance.
I'm at a better company this time around that actually pays 100% during the first 6 weeks, I think? Plus, I'll have plenty of PTO to use during my leave. I haven't started asking those questions yet, but there are several girls in my office who have been on maternity leave, so I'm sure they'll be able to prepare me for what to expect.
OP- I thought all companies had to give you 12 weeks job protected leave for fmla? They don't have to pay you but they can't fire you for taking up to 12 weeks off. It's different than std and you should be able to get both. I would double check and maybe check with state laws and whatnot...
Not all companies. OP should be covered because FMLA applies to public agencies and schools, but it only covers corporate employees who work for a company with >50 employees. It also only covers you if you've worked there for a year and for a certain number of hours (I think 1250 hours).
This thread has made me realize how grossly unprepared I am regarding maternity leave. I know my short term disability will pay 60% for 11 weeks, but I have no clue how many weeks my company actually allows... or if I need to use my time off first... or if I can take unpaid as well... I need to get my shit together and talk to my boss. We only have 20 employees, so I at least know FMLA isn't applicable.
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