Maternity Leave Thread

[sapphyre0702]

1. I was planning on going back at 13 weeks but my boss is trying to convince me to take a few more weeks to enjoy being with the baby a bit more (she is awesome and I am so thankful for her). I am going to try but from 9 weeks on it is all unpaid so if we can financially swing it I'll try to stretch it to 15 or 16 (16 weeks is maximum FMLA protection in CT).

2. I am considering modifying my work schedule to still be full time by considering either wfh one day a week or to try and do four ten hour days. I probably won't make that decision for a long while though.

[leenziepops]

I'm taking 12 months off (6-12 months is common here). I will have 3 months full-time pay, then an additional 18 weeks of government payment at minimum wage so 12 months is financially feasible for DH and 1.
Definitely easing back with 2-3 days per week. I'll probably increase to 4 days after a few months but 1 of those days will be from home. And I will probably stick with 4 days per week for a good 6months. I have chatted to some ladies in my company and they said they took 6 months to get back into the rhythm of things. There are many probably's in my answer because my company is very supportive and will be working around my needs.
I also plan on doing 1 day per week at home as I approach May. This was recommended by HR.

[sgarmand]

This topic stresses me out so bad. I work at a small/mid-size CPA firm with less than 50 employees therefore I'm not protected by FMLA. Also, I don't know that they'll let me take un-paid leave. So as of right now, I'm pretty much only guaranteed something around 4 weeks. Needless to say, I'm freaking the fuck out. If worst comes to worst, and my boss doesn't approve a few weeks of unpaid leave, I'll more than likely just put in my resignation letter before the baby comes and when I'm ready to go back, start looking for something else.

ETA: Just looked at my employee handbook again, and I'm actually only guaranteed 3 weeks and 3 days. AWESOME.

[Deleted]

1) How long do you plan on taking for leave? The typical 12 weeks or shorter/longer? - I'm taking seven weeks off.

2) Are you easing back in part time or just going full time right off the bat? 3) Will you be going back to work at the office or working from home? - I work part time, mostly from home anyway so I'll just go right back to my usual work load.

[tjanca22]

I'll be taking 12 weeks, but 6 will be unpaid. When I go back after summer I plan to work four 10 hour days and have Friday's off. I still could work from home on one of the four days, but we will see what happens.

[hbanana18]

I am taking 8 weeks.

I am going back full time but probably 4 - 9 hr days versus 5 - 8 hr days.

I don't have the option to work from home.

Can I ask why you are waiting until late may to discuss with your manager? My manager and I have discussed everything and I got my FMLA leave and STD papers signed by my doctors office already. May just seems to close for comfort to due date for me.

[mrskblack11]

1) How long do you plan on taking for leave? The typical 12 weeks or shorter/longer? 12 weeks, as long as we do not have any major work to do.

2) Are you easing back in part time or just going full time right off the bat? Going back full time but our workload should not be great.

3) Will you be going back to work at the office or working from home? I already work from home and will continue to work from home.

[mmo2112]

I could've sworn there was another thread about this, but could be pregnancy brain...

1) How long do you plan on taking for leave? ~7 months. Starting June 1 ish and going back in early to mid January 2016. My EDD is June 23. June 1-23 will be covered by state disability + my employer making up the difference.  

2) Are you easing back in part time or just going full time right off the bat? Part time with a corresponding salary cut. Possibly ramping back up to full time eventually, but who knows. My firm is letting me set my leave schedule and my return-to-work plan. I can't complain.

3) Will you be going back to work at the office or working from home? Mostly the office, but I can technically work from home. The problem is that I'm not always as productive, and I can't imagine that having a little one will help with that. :/

[PurpleIris]

I'm taking 12 weeks, though I'm using up some vacation days starting a few days before my due date and until the baby is born and FMLA starts. Also using a vacation day each week for about a month before my due date.

Planning to go back part time - 1 day a week to start. I currently work four days a week. I'm a nurse practitioner and cover multiple facilities, and the thought of finding somewhere to pump all the time stresses me out so I said I'm just starting back one day and will pick up from there when I feel more comfortable.

I haven't put in my FMLA or STD paperwork yet either but emailed my expected dates to be out to my manager this week. If there's a problem with cutting down my schedule when I return I'll probably give my notice and look for a new position, but I don't think it will come to that.

[Widget123]

1. 12-13 weeks. I don't want to come back to work on a Wednesday for example. I have been very stingy with leave and working extra whenever I can, so it will be 100% paid.
2. Full time right away. Managing people it's all in or nothing. My job isn't the kind I can do part time. I would have to take a demotion to consider such a thing and I don't want to.
3. Working at the office. Can't effectively manage people at home. I would have to take a demotion to work at home on a regular basis, even just a day or two a week.

I know I can do it because I've done it before. I like being a working mom, it's part of how I personally choose to keep my balance and identity.

[Bluedaisy]

I get 12 months, but because of my due date and where summer vacation falls I'll actually be off for fourteen months. For the first 3 and the last two I'll be full salary. The months in between I'll be on EI which I think is 55% of my income.

After my fourteen months are up I'll be going back full time. I'm a teacher so I can't work from home, I'll be back in class.


My biggest choice now is childcare for little one. We have two fantastic options- the daycare at my DHs college which is really well rated and convenient or a day home my friend (who is also a teacher) is opening. She lives in our neighborhood, is awesome and her son will be three months older than mine. Both options are great, thank goodness I still have lots of time to decide (it's a good problem to have I know lol)

[ravinraven216]

1) How long do you plan on taking for leave? The typical 12 weeks or shorter/longer? My plan is for my last day to be May 15th (presuming I don't get put on bedrest before that time), use my sick leave to cover the last few weeks of school, and not need FMLA. I'll need to use 14 days of leave, but I have a goodly amount saved up. I need to use more days than I originally intended, as our school year has been extended due to the inclement weather.

2) Are you easing back in part time or just going full time right off the bat?: I'll be back full-time in mid-August. I'm going to see if I can have LO in day care during the afternoons only. DH works second shift and that way he could get some baby time in, but not need to worry about waiting until I get home to leave for work.

3) Will you be going back to work at the office or working from home? Gods, I wish I could work from home. Our online school may become blended (have weekly in-person class time as part of the attendance policy next year), which means I'll need to come into the office. Boo 45 minute commute.

[laurenlou83]

1. I plan on taking 12 weeks that will be covered through FMLA. I get paid at a lower % of my pay through STD during this entire period, but DH have prepared for that. I am going to cash in 2 weeks vacation, too - they are also back up days if I need time off prior to his arrival per Dr's orders. My coworkers are making me feel guilty about taking that much time, but I refuse to give up the time with my boy.

2. Going back full-time right away. I am sure my workload will be crazy, but it is what it is!

3. I don't have the option to work from home

[veggiemo]

1. I'll only be taking 2 solid weeks.

2. I'll start going back to the office my third week, bringing new baby with me, just an hour or two here and there to stay on top of my work load. As the weeks progress, I'll come in more and more. Baby will stay with me until it becomes impossible, which with DS was around 5 months. Then I have to find part time childcare because my in laws can't take on the new baby in addition to the 3 toddlers they currently have. Still don't have a plan for that yet.

3. Not an option to work from home.

[mcp6286]

My perfect plan is...move to Canada and get a full year off! But don't think I can convince DH so the actual plan is:

1) How long do you plan on taking for leave? The typical 12 weeks or shorter/longer?
My contract at school is up 4 days before my due date (yikes...this baby better not come early!). I then get 10 weeks off before teacher in-service starts up, which unfortunately aren't paid because I'm a long-term sub. 


2) Are you easing back in part time or just going full time right off the bat?
Depends on what I get. Options are: A) the teacher I'm subbing for now doesn't come back and I get my contract renewed to fill her position, B) they have another full time, long term sub position available, or C) I go back to per diem and can work part time. I will definitely work at least 2 days per week, because we have free childcare those days. We're trying to cut back all our expenses right now so I can stay home the other 3 days if I'm working per diem (my preference) but I don't know if that is realistic.


3) Will you be going back to work at the office or working from home? Going back to school. I applied to teach online but I really don't want to do that. To me the whole point of teaching is being in the classroom with the kids. 

[jcprn]

I get 6 weeks from my employer and then I'm going to use my PTO that I've been saving to stretch it to at least 12 weeks (though I wonder if I could get to 14 weeks).

I won't be easing into work when I get back. I'm hoping they'll switch to 12 hour shifts so instead of 4 days a week I'll only be working 3 but still be full time. If it doesn't seem like 12 hour shifts are likely when I get back I'll probably drop down to part time, 24 hours.

I'm a nurse so unfortunately no such thing as working from home with what I currently do.

[holliberry28]

I'm taking 4 months off, but only 1 month will be paid from using my sick/vacation time. Not sure we can really afford it so I may consider going back a few weeks sooner but hoping to avoid that. Going back full time, I don't have the option of part time or working from home. Second the move to Canada!

sgarmand, your company's policy is horrible, I feel for you

[wink568]

1) How long do you plan on taking for leave? The typical 12 weeks or shorter/longer? I'll be taking 8-10 weeks.  I don't want to use up all of my vacation time and since DH will be a SAHD, I don't really want to take the hit of using unpaid leave.  It's a shame I can't use sick leave except for the actually recovery time, because I have enough racked up right now to have three babies.

2) Are you easing back in part time or just going full time right off the bat? Full time right off the bat, working 9 hour days so I can an extra day off every two weeks.

3) Will you be going back to work at the office or working from home? Back in the office, though I currently work from home once every two weeks.  With that and my extra day off mentioned above, I will rarely be in the office on a Monday.

[Ana0927]

Mar 10, 2015 17:45:34 GMT -5 @demanda88 said:

Because I'm nosey and also want to get a sense for what other people are planning on, so I can make my own solid plan before I discuss with my manager in late May. Also, not sure if anyone else feels this way but this is probably one of the most frazzling/stressful parts about having a baby. I'm a planner and so having these unknowns is super hard for me- will I decide I don't even want to go back to work at all or will I look forward to it? Will I end up trying to negotiate working part time? Will my manager be as flexible about my leave and what I want to do, as I think he will be? Things like this keep me up at night, which is stupid, but it's so stressful to think about.

1) How long do you plan on taking for leave? The typical 12 weeks or shorter/longer? 

2) Are you easing back in part time or just going full time right off the bat?

3) Will you be going back to work at the office or working from home?

I will be taking 16 week (only 4 are paid) This is my 3rd kid and I debated for a while to stay home because my boss is just becoming more unbearable.  While I love working here I am just questioning if the stress and commute is worth it.  

[dmoney]

1) How long do you plan on taking for leave? The typical 12 weeks or shorter/longer? 8 weeks, my company offers 1 week paid maternity leave, ill have 5 weeks of short term disability (they count the 1 week of paid maternity in with the 6 of short term thus the 5 weeks) and then 2 weeks of PTO that I have saved up.

2) Are you easing back in part time or just going full time right off the bat? 100% fully back into work, its going to suck but unless my hubby gets a promotion between now and then we need the money. I also have not been at my company for a full year so I don't qualify for FMLA, while it took them a while to fill my position I'm not to worried about losing my job but it is still scary.

3) Will you be going back to work at the office or working from home? Working at the office, we all have the ability to work from home if the weather is bad but I only live 15 minutes away from my office and if I am going back to work I need to get back into the swing of things 100% working from home would only make me more depressed because the baby would still be at day care.

[whoopsadaisy]

1) How long do you plan on taking for leave? The typical 12 weeks or shorter/longer? Where is 12 weeks typical? I need to move there. I get 6 weeks (unpaid) leave after the baby is born. I've saved up vacation/sick time so I should get 9 weeks off. Then I'm considering taking FMLA for a month or so because as a FTM, I don't know what I'm doing. And I have not arranged any kind of childcare/nanny situation yet.

2) Are you easing back in part time or just going full time right off the bat? I can't really go back part-time, wish I could, but it doesn't work like that in my nursing unit/hospital. Yeah, this is an overwhelming topic. Childcare is so expensive for newborns that it barely even makes sense for us financially for me to work at all until the kid is like 2 and childcare expenses go down. Bah, decisions.

[Deleted]

I'll be taking 12 weeks off. 6 or 8 paid based on vaginal birth or CS, and the addition 4-6 will be unpaid, but I will apply 1 week of vacation so it will be 3 or 5 weeks unpaid.

I will go back full time and fall is really busy for us so I'm sure it will be tough to adjust.

I will work from home 2 days a week which will be great as I hope to BF, and the nanny will be able to bring the baby into my home office during feedings.

[mathistm]

I literally feel like my heart is going to explode from a thinking about maternity leave and the stress it brings us financially. Maternity leave in the U.S. Is complete bullshit.
1. Right now I plan to leave my current job indefinitely once I go out for maternity leave. This place has put me through so much hell and it's time to finally peace the fuck out. I get short term disability (hopefully) if my boss doesn't decide to completely eff me over for 6-8 weeks (6 for vaginal delivery, 8 for cs). That in NY at least, is half your weekly pay up to $170 weekly. So I will probably get the $170 a week for those 6-8.
In the middle of all of this we are planning a move to ohio. DH is from there and the job market for us is much better. I'm hoping to find something as soon as I can immediately once we move. I honestly think this is going to be the most stressful time in my life and I will probably lose my shit all together. But here's hoping that's not the case.

[mathistm]

Yup. As far as I know. I was told they pay half of your pay per week but cap it at $170 a week.

[whoopsadaisy]

Mar 11, 2015 16:07:41 GMT -5 @demanda88 said:

Mar 11, 2015 15:59:06 GMT -5 whoopsadaisy said:

1) How long do you plan on taking for leave? The typical 12 weeks or shorter/longer? Where is 12 weeks typical? I need to move there. I get 6 weeks (unpaid) leave after the baby is born. I've saved up vacation/sick time so I should get 9 weeks off. Then I'm considering taking FMLA for a month or so because as a FTM, I don't know what I'm doing. And I have not arranged any kind of childcare/nanny situation yet.

2) Are you easing back in part time or just going full time right off the bat? I can't really go back part-time, wish I could, but it doesn't work like that in my nursing unit/hospital. Yeah, this is an overwhelming topic. Childcare is so expensive for newborns that it barely even makes sense for us financially for me to work at all until the kid is like 2 and childcare expenses go down. Bah, decisions.

It should be typical everywhere in the US? ...unless you haven't been at your current job for over 12 months or they don't have over 50 employees. Your employer legally can't tell you that you have to take less than 12 weeks, unless one of those is met.

So, are we saying 12 weeks FMLA is typical? I don't know. I know, especially after this thread, that I need to go to HR and figure our my options. I was under the impression I could take the 6 weeks maternity leave and then 12 weeks FMLA after that. I hope maternity leave + FMLA doesn't have to total 12 weeks only. Thanks for pointing that out!

[bookninja]

I'm taking 10 weeks, then 5 more at working just 2 days per week, and then back at 36 hours a week (which includes 2 nights till 9, and every other Saturday,). It should cut down my childcare needs to about 3 days per week, sometimes less... That's the plan anyway, whether it will actually work in practice may be another story.

[Deleted]

@demanda88 that is my impression of it too. It's job security for 12 weeks, and then it is up to individual employers on how they handle those weeks with paid/unpaid/applying PTO first etc.

[flbabychin]

I'm jealous of all you ladies who are taking more than 12 weeks! As much as I love my work, I am really looking forward to bonding time with baby.

For us, I will be taking 12 weeks of unpaid leave. It has felt like a huge burden, but given that I recently moved and started work less than 12 months ago, in addition to technically being a contracted worker, I don't have the benefits of PTO or STD. I do feel really blessed that the two companies I work with have completely okayed my job security, since I also technically don't qualify for FMLA. DH and I have been saving like whoa, so we can cover the cost of me being out of work for three months.

When I go back, ideally I'd like to ease into it. I'm a clinical psychologist and thankfully have a lot of flexibility with my job. If I can schedule my patients ideally, then I will hopefully be able to start with 2-3 days and do program development at home a couple of days a week.

I do wish I had an option to work from home full time, but there's no way to swing that. I am planning on maybe doing some Skype sessions with patients before my 12 weeks are up, which would help with income, and doing some writing and the group planning as well. I'm nervous about it, but I know that spending that time with my son will make it all worth it.

[missjenniebean]

6 weeks is all I get. I am part time so I will be returning as part time. And I can't work from home so back to the office!

[nicolec78]

I'm basically screwed I found out today. I had to use FMLA for my foot injury and it runs on a rolling year not calendar year. I only get off the sick and vacation time I have banked and it was exhausted by my foot injury. I will have 7 days saved and if I don't return I could lose my job.