https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:47:16 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2004559 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 17:00:56 +0000 marionberry 2004559@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We only get FMLA (unpaid) and technically they offer STD but it's only up to $900 a month and if you use PTO it cancels out your STD. You can't take both. So basically I get nothing. On the plus side, just wanted to say congrats on beginning to try again! I know there were days in the past you weren't sure you wanted more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2004482 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 16:16:41 +0000 AmandaB8 2004482@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>...I only get 1 week of PTO, and 1 week of sick. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2003825 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 10:10:22 +0000 Mrs. Polish 2003825@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was offered nothing but fmla. No pay. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2003785 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 09:46:45 +0000 ShootingStar 2003785@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, I can't believe they don't offer any STD. It's not like they have to offer full paid maternity leave, STD is pretty standard for any kind of disability. Honestly, with a company like that I'd be looking elsewhere. </p> <p>If you do decide to stay and pay for private STD, make sure to get it ASAP. A lot of plans make you have a waiting period before you can actually use it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2003754 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 09:36:06 +0000 wonderstruck 2003754@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As many have said, this is unfortunately pretty common. If it were my I'd probably cancel the August vacation if you can't afford to lose that week of paid time off before baby comes. Some places don't have any maternity leave at all - paid or unpaid - so really it could be much worse. It sucks, but that's how it is in the US. And I agree with PPs that 4 weeks a year is pretty generous, regardless of whether or not it covers sick time. My DH works for a small business where there is no paid leave or paid sick time, no insurance offered, and he gets one week each year for vacation. We had to skip taking a vacation whenever we were having a baby that year so that I could have him home for a week after the baby was born. And it still didn't happen with our first child - someone else was already on vacation, so he has to go back to work the day I came home from the hospital. I guess what I'm saying is that your work's policies, while not as generous as they used to be, are still something I'm envious of! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2003728 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 09:21:42 +0000 jetsa 2003728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: flex time is such a huge benefit. It makes leave so much better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2003687 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 08:57:59 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2003687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBananaGrabber: Thats so hard 4 weeks is the norm! We get a ton where I work, plus can do some flex time (so if I take 2 hours for an appointment one afternoon, but stay late two nights, I never take leave). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2003647 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 08:22:34 +0000 JoJoGirl 2003647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBananaGrabber: That's good to know :-/ </p> <p>@rachiecakes: Yep. The most I could accrue is probably 2 weeks, since we'll take 1 week of vacation in August. That would royally bankrupt us.</p> <p>@Anya: I know the lowest common denominator is FMLA, but I thought most companies offer *some* form of short-term disability coverage... gah. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2003105 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 18:05:16 +0000 Anya 2003105@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Legal and unfortunately perfectly common. FMLA =/= paid mat leave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2003097 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 18:00:41 +0000 rachiecakes 2003097@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoJoGirl: that's how it was at my old work :( they let me use my vacation (4 weeks) and sick (accrued 2 weeks), I took one week unpaid (and had to pay back my benefits for that week, ugh) but went back at 7 weeks PP. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2003056 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 17:31:27 +0000 MrsBananaGrabber 2003056@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoJoGirl: I work in employment law, so I see PTO and leave policies all day. 4 weeks of PTO is pretty generous (regardless of the number of days you typically work in a week, since you obviously don't need to use PTO for the 3 days a week you have off already).</p> <p>Good luck TTC!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002768 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:47:09 +0000 JoJoGirl 2002768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs.KMM: It's actually 80% of that since I only work 4 days/week - meaning every time LO is sick and I have to take a day off, it takes me 6 weeks of work to re-accrue that amount of time. 3 weeks of both sick time for myself, sick time for when daycare is closed/LO is sick, and vacation time for the whole year is less than anything i"ve heard for a big company! At my old job I had 3 weeks vacation (up from 2 after 5 years of service) and 6 weeks of sick time every year :-/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002760 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:41:09 +0000 LuLu Mom 2002760@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoJoGirl: We knew ahead of time (and expected it due to coworkers) so we just started putting money aside each week so we had enough built up for the 9 weeks I wouldn't be paid (I had 3 weeks vacation built up.) This round I'm a little more nervous, we haven't been as good about building up a nice extra stash with some unexpected expenses so I'm nervous for March. However, I guess if it comes to it I don't take the full 12 weeks and cut it down to 9 or 10. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002755 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:38:32 +0000 pinkcupcake 2002755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: yep, forgot to add that part. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002750 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:35:53 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2002750@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Legal, mat leave is a benefit not a right.</p> <p>Many of the people I interact with work for very small businesses and the new moms are often back at work within a week or two after giving birth. They can only afford to take off without pay for a week or two. Honestly even if they saved up to stay out longer their employers would be strapped for help and the women would lose their jobs.</p> <p>@pinkcupcake: Employers with less than 50 employees are exempt from FMLA. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002739 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:31:56 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2002739@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoJoGirl: You think 4 weeks is crappy?!? I'd love to have 4 weeks of PTO! That is a whole month! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002737 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:29:41 +0000 autumnlove 2002737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My company offers nothing. :-( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002730 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:27:22 +0000 JoJoGirl 2002730@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: It's staying the same (unbelievably crappy) policy - 4 weeks total PTO for the year, including sick and vacation. I currently have 5 hours in my bank. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002726 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:25:00 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2002726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoJoGirl: Do you know what is happening with your leave hours (sick/annual leave)? I know for us, we don't technically get a paid leave, but we are given generous leave hours/days that we can use during maternity time if we want to be paid while out. I was able to stock up and save to be paid in full for 12 weeks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002720 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:22:12 +0000 pinkcupcake 2002720@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Completely legal. FMLA only requires 12 weeks of unpaid leave (so basically, just a promise you can have your job back). I took 14 weeks off - all unpaid after I burned through the PTO hours I had been saving for years :T </p> <p>No STD, either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002710 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:15:46 +0000 JoJoGirl 2002710@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LuLu Mom: That is awful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002697 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:10:11 +0000 LuLu Mom 2002697@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoJoGirl: Make sure when shopping for STD that you mention it si for pregnancy, I wasn't able to find any that applied to pregnancy in our area. I called around several places and they said that it was only offered through business and mine did not offer it as an option. So...it's all out of pocket for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002693 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:06:17 +0000 JoJoGirl 2002693@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh this sucks. No, we have no state benefit at all, so seems the only option is to buy STD myself. God damn. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002678 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 13:59:22 +0000 yellowbird 2002678@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoJoGirl: our company does off std buy it us entirely employee paid. The company pays nothing for it. My last job offered nothing at all. I don't think company is are required to offer this. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002674 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 13:58:10 +0000 jetsa 2002674@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep, I don't have any paid maternity leave. Can you purchase short term disability insurance? I believe they have to offer you the ability to purchase. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002651 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 13:49:57 +0000 Eko 2002651@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My company only started offering short term disability when one of our female partners got pregnant. That was only a year ago. It can be standard for companies not to offer any benefits. Lame, I know. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002648 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 13:48:35 +0000 Meowkers 2002648@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yup unfortunately this is the norm in the US. I don't get any paid maternity leave and because I'm an attorney with billable hour requirements and no set PTO, I can't even use PTO time for maternity leave. All I get is 6 weeks of short term disability through the state, (55% of my salary), and then another 6 weeks of paid family leave. Luckily my state is one of the few that actually pays for family leave. It's really really difficult to financially plan and prepare for maternity leave. GOOD LUCK! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002631 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 13:40:45 +0000 snowjewelz 2002631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, legal. I work for a small private company and I get nothing. NYS pays me like 200 a month. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002623 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 13:38:36 +0000 catlady 2002623@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, legal. However, see if you can purchase your own short term disability insurance. My company offers it (through Aflac) but does not subsidize it. So I basically pay for it myself, which is a compromise to not having any paid leave at all. I worked it out and it was worthwhile as long as I took a maternity leave within 3 years I think. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/no-maternity-leave-offered-at-all#post-2002621 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 13:37:49 +0000 ValentineMommy 2002621@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work for the federal gov and we have no paid maternity leave at all, and because I am a federal employee working in a particular state, I don't even qualify for ST disability either. It's hard. </p>