https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 18 Apr 2026 21:22:46 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674776 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:51:04 +0000 wheres_c 674776@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mandatory use of PTO, I had one week. Then 4 weeks paid short term disability insurance (60% of salary) 7 weeks unpaid </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674626 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:16:18 +0000 MrsH 674626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: thanks, yeah I'm the first woman at our firm who will to go through this. So we shall see.</p> <p>@LindsayInNYC: I don't know about practice area but I Imagine all firms are different even those that are the same size. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674598 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:10:50 +0000 Pirouette 674598@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNYC: yea, that sounds reasonable! i don't think my firm has any kind of policy like that, which is a shame, because i've been here a long time! but there are so few women, it just doesn't come up enough for a set policy, i guess. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674583 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:07:10 +0000 LindsayInNY 674583@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: Yes. If I go out on maternity leave with less than 2 years here, I get 5 weeks at 2/3 pay and 7 weeks at 1/2 pay (plus whatever vacation/sick). So if I have 3 weeks vacation/sick, I would take 5 weeks at 2/3 and only need 4 weeks at 1/2 pay. Technically it's less money over the course of the calendar year though. And I won't get a billing bonus. I didn't realize this would vary by practice area (I think that's the catch between the 3 of us!). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674572 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:04:24 +0000 Pirouette 674572@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNYC: so you think they'd continue to pay you while you are out? i'm pretty sure my firm doesn't do that. i guess they could pay you based on your work while you are out (sort of like a commission on the matters you work on while on mat leave), but i cant imagine they'll continue to pay me my salary for the time i'm not here, except to the extent it's covered by vacation days.</p> <p>@MrsH: congrats!!! well yea, that opens up a whole other can of worms ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674566 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:03:16 +0000 LindsayInNY 674566@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsH: Ahh, I get it. Technically speaking then, I guess so? If I'm only paid 50% while I'm out, that will result in a lesser amount over the course of the year. It sucks but in some ways I feel like it comes with the territory. A lot of jobs are like that =/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674559 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:01:25 +0000 MrsH 674559@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNYC: I think she just means her salary will be cut because she doesn't get paid mat leave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674556 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:00:23 +0000 MrsH 674556@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: I'm salaried but there are other variables </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674552 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:58:39 +0000 LindsayInNY 674552@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: Our hours determine our bonus too. We have a minimum requirement but we have set bonus amounts for how many hours we bill over the required amount. So whenever I get pregnant, that year will essentially be a wash when it comes to meeting the requirement and/or any bonus (which I'm fine with). I don't think legally they can cut your salary when you're out though. Unless you have some sort of employment agreement that says that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674541 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:55:22 +0000 Pirouette 674541@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PurplePumps: ah, ok. I looked at our insurance docs but only saw LTD, not STD, and LTD was automatic (no pay in for employee), so i'm guessing it's separate from our normal benefits, or doesn't exist and i'm in for a tough road ;)</p> <p>@MrsH: It sounds like you aren't even salaried, so your situation is a little different. but yea, so frustrating, you'll be working anyway, so you should be paid something!</p> <p>@LindsayInNYC: our hours requirement is a little less of a requirement. I'm salaried, and the hours determine my bonus. if i don't make bonus, they smile and wish me a merry christmas, no repercussions. but if i make it, i make more the more i bill. So i'm assuming they'll cut my salary and i'll make 10/12ths of my salary if i take 8 weeks or whatever. and no bonus opportunity. but if i'm still working during that time (like i do on vacation), that just seems a bit unfair! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674539 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:54:50 +0000 MrsH 674539@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNYC: I'll post on your wall :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674525 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:47:36 +0000 PurplePumps 674525@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: I am not pregnant yet, and have told no one of my plans. We have a yearly option to change our benefit elections (HMO to PPO or HSA, etc, high/low dental, 75%/100% cover on short term disability, etc) so I elected to change mine when the election period came up at the end of last year with the hopes of having a child this year. This is just through the insurance provider that would pay that out (I cant remember who). You just say you want it, they send you a questionnaire to answer and then let you know if your coverage is approved. They do ask if you are pregnant on it, but I'm not sure if they have the right to deny you based solely on that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674523 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:47:20 +0000 LindsayInNY 674523@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsH: @Pirouette: I would think your hours would be prorated while you're out? So, if, for example, you're required to bill 1800 hours per year (hah, wouldn't that be nice!), that's 150 per month. If you're out for 12 weeks (aka 3 months), I would think you'd be required to bill 1350 (150 x 9 months) for the rest of the year. But I don't think your salary should be affected. Are you not entirely salaried? I make X amount per year but I also have a set number of hours to bill. If I don't mind them, I get paid the same but could technically lose my job. If there's no set policy, that's what I would propose to them! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674514 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:40:57 +0000 MrsH 674514@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: @LindsayInNYC: yeah, so long as I meet my hours i guess I can do as I please but I basically have to work everyday or makeup time somehow to meet my hours so yeah that pretty much equals little vacation time. I'm curious what they will do with my billable hours when I take leave. Im supposed to get 12 weeks paid mat leave but My salary is based on my hours so if they are going to decrease my hours (so I can meet them with a mat leave) then my salary would decrease and that would be like not getting paid at all. I'd just be working less hours in a shorter time period and getting paid less. If they don't decrease my hours and i get paid normally then how do the metrics work?!? Because there is no way I can meet my hours and take a mat leave. Plus ill be working anyways I'm sure so it's to like I shouldn't be paid :) did I Mention there is no set policy so ill just have to figure it out with them? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674502 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:34:54 +0000 Pirouette 674502@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PurplePumps: when did you buy extra coverage? i assume that's something you have to do before you are pregnant...did you talk to your employer before you were pregnant or just buy from an outside vendor? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674465 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:18:17 +0000 PurplePumps 674465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't actually get paid maternity leave, but we can be paid short term disability for 6 weeks (100% pay - I bought extra coverage, otherwise its only 75%), after using one week of our own time off. Then if we want to get paid for the rest of the time, we have to use vacation time. I get 4 weeks + 1 week carry over, so I'll be able to be paid for 10 weeks max if I want to use up all my vacation time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674457 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:14:25 +0000 Raindrop 674457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@KT326: I didn't know either! That's what someone told me and I just assumed 55% was correct. ^_^ Thanks for checking! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674424 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:02:04 +0000 KT326 674424@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Raindrop: I just checked and it is 55%. I don't know why I had 60% in my head! I just fixed my post :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674389 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:51:23 +0000 Raindrop 674389@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@KT326: Oh is it 60%? I thought it was 55%. :)</p> <p>I also forgot to mention what I did. I took 3 weeks before (the 4 weeks are use it or lose it, but I had work commitments I wanted to get done before leaving) but I took an extra week of unpaid to round a complete 4 months off to have and be with DS. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674385 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:50:04 +0000 Pirouette 674385@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Raindrop: @KT326: ok then, that's settled. I'm going home, packing my bags and moving to Cali ;)</p> <p>@LindsayInNYC: that's a good idea...i wonder if they'd let me accrue if it's close to the start of a new year - worth asking! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674354 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:44:02 +0000 KT326 674354@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in California and this is what I did:</p> <p>I was pulled out of work a week and a half before I had my son. I used sick time for that week. After DS was born my STD kicked in and I got 6 weeks paid at 55%. For those 6 weeks my company covered what the state didn't pay so I would get 100% of my salary. After that my Paid Family Leave kicked in and I got paid for 6 weeks at 55% of my salary. Then I took 3 weeks unpaid. So I was out 16 weeks total, I got to spend 16 weeks with DS and 13 weeks was paid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674347 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:42:09 +0000 MamaG 674347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Exactly the same as @Kiddosc.</p> <p>I had accrued 10 weeks of sick and vacation time. We are allowed to carryforward all unused hours. I have a seperate STD policy but was unable to collect on it as my employer required me to use all accrued time while out on FMLA.</p> <p>I accrue 3 weeks of vacation and 6 sick days a year. I just had not used any sick time (in 4 years) and had started saving my vacation when we started TTC. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674345 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:42:03 +0000 marionberry 674345@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't taken maternity leave yet, but I am so confused as to how all of my days and such work together. This board made me email one of our HR girls. So thanks!</p> <p>I have STD that can go up to 26 weeks but only pays $900/month. Then we have this thing called EIB which is basically sick leave and I have a little over 5 weeks accrued (which would pay at full rate). Then I have PTO of about 3 weeks accrued as well. What I don't know is if I have to use up all of my EIB and PTO before I get anything from my STD. I don't mind burning through my EIB but don't want to burn through all of my PTO. It's taken 5 years to accrue all of that. FMLA gives me 12 weeks off but realistically it's looking like we may only be able to afford 8. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674343 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:41:55 +0000 Raindrop 674343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in California and I heard we were different.</p> <p>I also work for a very big company.</p> <p>This is what it boiled down too</p> <p>4 weeks before due date (you are off work!)<br /> - first week sick (as per my company's policy)<br /> - next 3 weeks at 55% pay up to a cap (in 2012 the cap was 1100) (covered with with California Pregnancy Disability Leave (CA PDL) this is a STD (short term disabilty)) (this is for the 4 weeks before birth and 6-8 weeks after birth)) + my company paid the rest to my match my salary (they match to CAL PDL to match my salary, company policy) (CAL PDL + Company = full pay)</p> <p>Birth! - 6 week for vaginal and 8 weeks for c-sention (again CAL PDL + Company = full pay)</p> <p>6-8 weeks after<br /> - California Paid Family Leave (CA PFL) kicks in and also gives 55% salary up to a point (again 2012 max was 1100), for 6 more weeks. No more company match for me!</p> <p>So these work along with with Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) because the california programs do not have job protection was as FMLA does. California also has California Family Rights Act (CFRA) which is also unpaid and goes in affect along with the paid programs above for job protection after FMLA is done for the last 6 weeks of the leave but this gives you 12 more weeks.</p> <p>Super break down.</p> <p>4 weeks before - paid full - job protected (FMLA + CAL PDL + company)<br /> 6-8 weeks after - paid full - job protected(FMLA + CAL PDL + company)<br /> 12-14 weeks after - paid 55% - job protected (CAL PFL + CFRA)<br /> 18-20 weeks after - unpaid but job protected (CFRA)</p> <p>So in california you can basically take 16-18 weeks off (4 weeks before + 12-14 weeks after) with some sort of pay. :)</p> <p>I hope I answered this question. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674285 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:22:19 +0000 LindsayInNY 674285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: We accrue but I don't know how much they enforce it. I have 4 weeks now but can only carry over 1 week to the following year and it has to be used by March. If I get BFP within the next couple cycles, I might ask if I can carry over 2 weeks instead, just to offset maternity leave pay. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674276 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:16:40 +0000 Pirouette 674276@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNYC: exactly! i get 4 weeks, no accrual, but i never take all those days, and even if i do, i'm working while i'm away (checking emails, etc.). that's why it's a bit ridiculous to have completely unpaid leave while i'm still making them $ (even if less $ during that time) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674270 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:13:31 +0000 bunnylove08 674270@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had to take all my vacation and sick and that was 2 months and if I wanted to I would have been able to take 12 weeks unpaid (FMLA) so we do not have any paid maternity leave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674265 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:12:38 +0000 LindsayInNY 674265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: @MrsH: All my prior firms were crap when it came to vacation/time off. This is the first job where I've had more than 2 weeks vacation. But, what's the point when I still have to bill a bajillion hours a year?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674226 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:00:33 +0000 kodybear 674226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My company paid 100% of my salary the first 6 weeks and then the state paid I think 60% for paid family leave. The whole thing still kind of confuses me tho haha why do they make it so complicated! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-salaried-and-covered-by-fmla/page/2#post-674219 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:57:14 +0000 Goldilocks1107 674219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was able to use short term disability (70% of pay) for 6 weeks (after a 2 week waiting period). So 4 weeks short term disability. Then added in vacation and sick time throughout my 3 month leave to ensure we had a consistent (but lower) paycheck to supplement DH's regular income. </p>