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| Understanding if Maternity Leave is an Option for You |
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Once you are somewhere in your second trimester, you will want to look into what type of maternity leave is offered by your place of employment. A woman is guaranteed up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for her newborn under the federal law referred to as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The FMLA applies if your current work situation satisfies the following three requirements: your company (private-sector employers) employs 50 or more people or is a public agency (federal, state, or local employers); you have been employed at that company for at least 12 months; and you have worked at least 1,250 hours in the last 12 months. However, even if you do not qualify for unpaid leave under the FMLA, your company may offer an additional maternity leave package, paid sick time/medical leave, paid vacation leave, and/or short-term disability depending on which state you live in. It is important to understand up-front:
By understanding these basic aspects, you should be able to assess ahead of time how much maternity leave you can take to satisfy both your need to be there for your newborn as well as maintain your current budget. |
| Ensuring Maternity Leave is in Place |
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Once you are familiar with your company's options for maternity leave, you will need to get in touch with your maternity leave contact or human resources department to obtain the proper paperwork. By completing the paperwork ahead of time, you will have it in place in case you need to leave work earlier than expected. Depending on what is offered to you, make sure you get the paperwork for FMLA, sick leave, vacation leave, short-term disability, and any forms that must be filled out by your family doctor, obstetrician, or pediatrician. Before handing the necessary paperwork back to your company contact, be certain to make copies of everything for your own records. Additionally, it is a good idea to print out any email correspondence about your maternity leave and keep it filed with the rest of your own paperwork. |
| Ensuring Paternity Leave is in Place |
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Equally important to having your maternity leave in place is understanding if any options for paternity leave are offered by your partner's work. The same options as outlined above for maternity leave may be available for paternity leave as well, including the FMLA. For a man to qualify for 12 weeks of unpaid leave he must satisfy the same three criteria that a woman must: your company (private-sector employers) employs 50 or more people or is a public agency (federal, state, or local employers); you have been employed at that company for at least 12 months; and you have worked at least 1,250 hours in the last 12 months. Again, just like maternity leave, your partner needs to understand if paternity leave is paid or unpaid, how long it lasts, and if benefits remain intact during the leave period. Paternity leave paperwork should be in place early on to ensure that it is taken care of prior to the arrival of your little one. |
| Preparing Co-Workers for Maternity or Paternity Leave |
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Finally, it is important that you take the time to share your plans for maternity or paternity leave with those you interact with regularly at work. This allows your co-workers enough time to prepare for your absence and minimizes any disruption it may cause for regular business. Share with them a way they can contact you during your leave (if you desire), how long you plan to be gone, and who will be taking over your responsibilities in your absence. |
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| Note: All information on edHelperBaby is of a general nature for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. Your use of this site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use. |