https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:45:30 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long/page/2#post-571380 Sun, 17 Feb 2013 19:11:00 +0000 Anagram 571380@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@matador84: oh yeah, that was the same with my schools district. The 12 weeks wasn't paid--you had to use your saved up time off, which meant part of the 12 weeks might be unpaid. But still, everyone at my school took 12 weeks (except a couple of single moms, that couldn't afford to).</p> <p>I worked there for 9 years though, so I had many months saved up. Too bad I moved to a new state right before getting pregnant! So here, my 12 weeks isn't paid either, but I get *some* money through the NJ family leave insurance. After that, it's just our savings, </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long/page/2#post-570975 Sun, 17 Feb 2013 11:47:36 +0000 marionberry 570975@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At my work, we do not have paid maternity leave. We have a disability policy which will pay us a portion of our pay (although rumor is it's only $400 a month which is nothing) and then we have accrued something called Extended Illness Bank while we've worked there. We can use those days as paid time off while we're out (it will cover one month for me), but once those run out we have to use our real PTO. This means that financially only 8 weeks is likely for me, but we will see if we can swing more.</p> <p>At my office, the last pregnant woman took off a whole year, but now she's pregnant again. She's planning on taking 3 months, and another coworker is in my boat, thinking she'll take off 2 months and maybe days here and there afterward. We would all love to take lots of time off, but financially it's not possible and also our boss is really pushing for us to get back sooner rather than later as there's no one to cover what we do while we're gone. It's a real bummer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long/page/2#post-570791 Sun, 17 Feb 2013 08:51:01 +0000 matador84 570791@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anagram yes, i work in a public school. in my experience in teaching in different districts in texas, most maternity leave is similar. one district everyone had a short-term policy so if women got pregnant, the policy covered it. however, the district i work in now--the way maternity leave is done should be illegal, IMO!</p> <p>any PTO days you have must be used up first. if you don't have any days, you get docked pay for each day you are gone. i was extremely lucky in that i never took days off work so i had enough saved up for 8 weeks, but now i am completely out of days, so if i have to take off a day for anything, my pay is docked. i have friends who have had babies back to back and gotten their whole 6 weeks docked pay. i think it's pretty standard to take six weeks off because that is all most can afford...even though FMLA is available and can take up to 12...unless you had 12 weeks of days saved up, that is the only way to be "paid" for your maternity leave. kind of blows! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570693 Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:54:03 +0000 lemondrop 570693@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My school (for profit career college) has only been open for 3 years, and I was the first to get pregnant. Setting up a leave plan with my boss was next to impossible- he kept avoiding me, he was in total denial! In the end I just told him my plan and he didn't argue. I told him I would return part-time after 4 months- I figured I would aim high and negotiate from there, but he accepted it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570680 Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:12:26 +0000 tysonja 570680@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know nobody probably wants to be reminded of Canada's policies right now, but just have to chime in and say you are ALl superstars in my eyes!!!! SUPERSTARS!!! I can hardly imagine anyone taking less than the 50 weeks that everyone gets here. Seriously ladies, give yourself a break if you feel bad that you r taking a "long" break:) superstars!!! I bow to you all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570652 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 23:25:00 +0000 BSB 570652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think most of my coworkers take the full 12 weeks or more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570646 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 23:15:08 +0000 anonysquire 570646@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsTiz: Same! I haven't benefits at either of my jobs so I'm sol if and when I get pregnant! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570645 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 23:14:07 +0000 anonysquire 570645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Unfortunately at my main job I'm the only girl, not sure what their policy is on maternity leave. At my other job there's mostly girls but I'm still new so I haven't been there when anyone's been pregnant. I plan on talking 6 weeks unpaid leave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570626 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:56:35 +0000 MrsH 570626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: this! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570589 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:20:42 +0000 Smurfette 570589@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Some took 12 weeks but most take 6 to 8 weeks depending on delivery. Some guys think it is crazy I am taking 12 weeks. Whatever! I wish I could take longer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570582 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:11:53 +0000 Anagram 570582@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@matador84: 6 weeks? Do you work in a public school? </p> <p>When I worked for 9 years in a suburb of Dallas, mat leave (as per FMLA) was 12 weeks. It's just that the paid/unpaid part depended on how much leave you had saved up from previous years. Sadly, at my old district in Texas, they count 12 weeks from birth, even if they aren't school days (if they are holidays or summer, for example).</p> <p>Now that I live in NJ, I still get the 12 weeks FMLA, BUT they don't count days that aren't work days. So, since I will be delivering in July, my FMLA days won't start till the first day of school, and then I get 12 weeks of work days after that. Which means I won't have to go back until November 1st or so! Here in NJ, tenured teachers can take an entire year off and be guaranteed their exact position when they return, *or* they can take 2 years and just be guaranteed a position in the school district when they return. </p> <p>Several of the tenured teachers took a full year. I'm not tenured, so will only get my FMLA leave, but since I just moved from Texas, it still feels like a good deal to me. =) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570538 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 21:14:02 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 570538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just because I didn't take a leave didn't mean I set a precedent. Most people take between 6-12 weeks and I was out of the mainstream. I don't feel that I owe it to anyone to make them look better. I could care less what people do and I don't judge whether people take more or less than I did. ( I took 16 weeks the first time).</p> <p>It's not a war, it's a personal choice and I can't say what's going to work best for someone else. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570510 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 20:52:29 +0000 avivoca 570510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't qualify for FMLA through my job, and company policy is 8 weeks guaranteed, with the option for an additional 4 weeks, all unpaid minus any vacation/sick time you have. My job isn't guaranteed to be there either. That said, the other two girls to go on leave have taken 12 weeks and come back part time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570497 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 20:42:54 +0000 MrsTiz 570497@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This makes me really sad reading all of this! I don't get a single day of paid leave, so any weeks or months I'm off will be on my own dime. That being said, I will have a really short leave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570399 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 19:30:11 +0000 hummusgirl 570399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Six of my coworkers had babies last year. Almost all (myself included) took 6 months, though only 6 weeks was paid. I'm grateful to them for paving the way. My job isn't guaranteed to be held for me, but I don't think it's going to be an issue. I do think they're doing away with the 6 month thing after me though, because a few people have either not come back or quit shortly after returning. I got in just under the wire! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570369 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 18:21:56 +0000 matador84 570369@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am a teacher and standard for a teacher in Texas is 6 weeks. I took 8 weeks because I had enough days saved up. Honestly, I can't imagine only having taken 6 weeks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570359 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 18:08:01 +0000 MrsH 570359@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I may or may not take the full 12 weeks because I'm a partner and I feel I need to be able to meet client needs and that asking my partners to carry that burden may not be fair. </p> <p>I don't think it is a disservice to other women. They should be able to take 12 weeks if they want to just as I should be able to take off less time without bing told I'm doing a disservice to others. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570350 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 18:00:46 +0000 apis 570350@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Most of my colleagues in the UK and the US take the maximum fully-paid leave, but then return to work part-time for a few months as a transition, working 3 days a week. It seems to be a nice bridge between home and work for them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-570348 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 17:58:56 +0000 lomom 570348@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There's been a baby boom in my office but most have taken 6 weeks. I felt as though I was expected to take 6 also but told HR I wanted to have 6-12 on my FMLA paperwork so that I could adjust as needed, depending on how I felt after LO arrived. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-115877 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:34:49 +0000 kml636 115877@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think most people I work with have just taken 8 weeks. I'm planning on 12 weeks, maybe not coming back at all, and I don't think they will say anything negative about it... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-115873 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:28:44 +0000 joyjoy 115873@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Quite a few women have given birth while I've been at this company, and the norm for maternity leave around here is 16+ weeks. Most have taken more than that since we're allowed up to 28 weeks, but past the 16 weeks, leave is unpaid unless you have a good amount of STD and vacation hours saved up to cover it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-115813 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:15:20 +0000 lavender 115813@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm the first to take a maternity leave at my office (small 6 person office), and I'm taking 12 weeks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-115810 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:12:51 +0000 daniellemybelle 115810@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Everyone I know at my current company took all 12 weeks. I'm not sure exactly what pay they get, but I know it is reduced. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-115729 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:25:18 +0000 Alivoo01 115729@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm the only girl in my department, but ladies in other departments have taken maternity leave. I don't know for how long though, but I don't think it was much since I saw them around the workplace soon thereafter. I plan on taking the 6 weeks offered plus PTO/FMLA. 6 weeks just seems way too short!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-115137 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:51:34 +0000 yoursilverlining 115137@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I only have 1 female co-worker who has taken maternity leave and she took 6 weeks for both of her children. I am planning on taking more time (10-12 weeks) and honestly am a little nervous to take so much time, as I sort of feel like my co-worker set the bar as being 6 weeks of leave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-115134 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:48:52 +0000 Modern Daisy 115134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work in a pretty family friendly industry so it's the norm to take a full 12 weeks, especially if you work for a big company (which I do). One of my coworkers is still out on leave after 5 months! That is not the norm though and I don't think at this point our managers actually have to keep her job open to her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-115104 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:28:58 +0000 mrsjyw 115104@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Everyone takes 12 weeks or longer here :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-115095 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:19:45 +0000 His Barista 115095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>All the Starbucks girls I know took 12 weeks. I can only afford 8 because 2 are unpaid. : ( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-115058 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 07:47:09 +0000 mrsjazz 115058@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My boss recently took maternity leave and there have been about 5 co-workers in the past 2 years who have all taken the full 12 weeks we are allowed at my job. (It's FMLA but using PTO and is either paid or unpaid depending on how much time you have).</p> <p>Also, my boss is back, but takes Fridays to work from home. I'm happy that the culture at my job is to take the time.</p> <p>And I know of one male co-worker who took a month of paternity leave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-your-coworkers-take-maternity-leave-how-long#post-115048 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 07:41:08 +0000 Mrsbells 115048@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My coworker took only 2 weeks after the birth of the child. She is korean and told me thats her culture to return to work so soon. So I'm kinda irritated at that lol. </p>